Pioneering technologies poised to give European companies an edge in the growing global ion therapy market were showcased at the 62nd Annual Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group
Conference (PTCOG62) in Singapore from June 10-15. The HITRIplus project was prominently featured, with a booth highlighting its innovative technologies.
The HITRIplus Innovation Technology Transfer & industry Relations work-package aims to foster collaboration between researchers and industry to advance heavy ion therapy for medical applications and cancer treatment. The booth was hosted by representatives from CERN, the Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI), and Italy’s National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN).
The conference provided an excellent opportunity for the HITRIplus team to engage with key players in the MedTech industry, with around 1,400 attendees present. European companies were strongly represented among the 37 exhibitors, including the likes of Linear beam and Leo Cancer Care. IBA and Normandy Hadrontherapy, both of which have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the HITRIplus, also attended. Normandy Hadrontherapy showcased the development of a proton and carbon hadron therapy centre in Caen, which will host PTCOG 64 in 2026.
In addition to industry interest, many students visited the booth, expressing appreciation for the HITRIplus project’s masterclasses and seminars. This unexpected engagement was particularly rewarding for the team.
The conference also facilitated valuable networking within the HITRIplus community, including project coordinator Sandro Rossi, PTCOG chairman Marco Durante, clinical networking representative Piero Fossati, and advanced beam delivery and upright radiotherapy representatives Christian Graeff and Lennart Volz.
HITRIplus showcased significant advancements, making ion therapy treatments both more affordable and compact. Key innovations included:
- Linac Superconducting Synchrotrons for carbon and helium ions and a gantry system design improving cost efficiency and compactness.
- A Curved CCT (Canted-Cosine-Theta) Magnet System designed to reduce dimensions and enhance configuration ease for accelerators and gantries.
- An architectural model of an Accelerator Control System for multi-energy operation, allowing an ion beam to be accelerated or reaccelerated to the next energy level.
- Treatment Accelerator Control Software and safety systems enabling enhanced cost efficiency, improved treatment availability, and seamless integration of new treatment modalities.
- Radiobiological Experiments showcasing the differing biological effects of a standardised physical dose across five distinct ion therapy centres and characterising the effectiveness of local models.
A warm thank you to everyone who visited all the HITRIplus booth at PTCOG 62!
Written by Sandra Muhr
Knowledge Transfer Officer at CERN
PhD in Physics
CERN Knowledge Transfer Group
1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland
