The Heavy Ion Therapy Research Infrastructure, HITRIplus project has announced its 2nd annual meeting which will be held in Riga, Latvia from 26 to 28 June 2023 and will take place at the Riga Technical University (RTU), Domus Auditorialis. It will bring together the project’s partners to discuss the status of the project and plan its future developments.
The upcoming three-day event will include presentations from key project members, workshops on specific topics related to the project, and opportunities for networking and collaboration. During the event, attendees will engage in discussions and knowledge sharing about the latest advancements of the HITRIplus project but also in heavy ion therapy research in general.
The workshop: In addition to the project meeting, RTU will host a workshop, on June 28, for the clinical and scientific communities in the Baltics with the participation of leading HITRIplus scientists. This workshop will provide a platform for clinicians and researchers to share their experiences with ion therapy, discuss current challenges and opportunities, and explore the potential for collaboration.
This is the third meeting of HITRIplus that provides the opportunity to its members to meet in person. After the online kick-off meeting, on April 13 2021, due to the covid pandemic, the HITRIplus collaborators greatly appreciated the in-person meetings: the first project annual meeting in CNAO, Pavia, 17-18 May 2022 and then the first reporting period meeting in Vienna, 12-13 December 2022 where the pillar and work package coordinators presented the project status. Despite the unforeseen difficulties, the project went strong ahead. Indeed, the HITRIplus coordination was pleased to announce that the project mid-term review was successfully completed and approved in March 2023 with positive feedback from the referees. A rewarding outcome of the hard work of the HITRIplus collaborators, despite the rough conditions at startup, that inspires motivation for future advancements.
The mid-term review: The HITRIplus mid-term review aimed to assess the project’s progress, to ensure that the original objectives were achieved and the budget was effectively utilized. During the dedicated meeting in Vienna, the project’s pillar and work package coordinators summarized the project’s achievements as well as deviations from the work plan and any other issues for the reviewers’ panel. The mid-term report was submitted considering the received comments and recommendations and approved in March 2023.
Indeed, the review panel conducted a comprehensive assessment of various aspects of the project, including developing related technologies and implementing research activities. They carefully evaluated the project’s advancement in accordance with the original work plan, identifying deviations or potential problems and offering recommendations for future development.
The positive feedback from the review panel serves as a testament to the unwavering dedication and efficient work demonstrated by the project partners. This valuable feedback will contribute to keeping the project on track, ensuring the successful achievement of its intended outcomes.
Overall, the successful completion of the first-period review is an essential milestone in the project’s progress and highlights the significant strides that have been made within the HITRIplus project contributing to the field of heavy ion therapy research. The HITRIplus collaborators look forward to continuing dedicated work on the project and to making further contributions to the field.
