Our Research

We exploit different modeling approaches to study the mechanisms of radiation effects. This ranges from radiation chemistry to the description of DNA damage induction and repair. Recently, we started investigating how different radiation qualities can induce mutations, which eventually develop into an induced cancer. 

Microdosimetry aims at describing the biological effects of ionizing radiation, starting from the analysis of the stochastic aspects of radiation-matter interaction at the cellular scale. From this point of view it is complementary to conventional dosimetry. Our group is active in detector development and microdosimetry modeling.

This is the new frontier in the radiotherapy field. FLASH RT arises from the observation of a peculiar sparing effect of normal tissues when irradiation is performed at dose rate >40 Gy/s, while preserving tumor cell inactivation. While the understanding of the mechanisms behind the FLASH effect is incomplete, efforts are on going worldwide to investigate both such mechanisms and the possibility of a clinical translation.

Our research in the field of medical physics is strongly related to collaborations on going with the local healthcare agency (APSS), specifically with the Health Physics Department and Proton Therapy units. Our efforts are mainly devoted towards treatment planning studies, and to the investigation of normal tissue toxicities trough the application and development of NTCP models.

This is an INFN CSN5 call project, started in 2022. It is fully dedicated to investigate aspects of interest for the understanding of the FLASH effect and the development of FLASH RT applications. It involves several INFN groups.

This is an INFN experiment financed by CSN5, carried on by the Florence and Trento units, in collaboration with APSS. The goal of this project is to investigate the potential of proton CT as a tool to improve the characterization of relative stopping power in proton therapy.

MIRO is concerned with studying irradiation techniques that exploit the mini-beam approach, which spares healthy tissue damage for the same dose to the target. Within the project, the BIMER group deals with proton irradiation, both in terms of simulation and experimental validation aspects.