Medical Physics

                    Vice Chair for Medical
                    Physics

                         

                         Amit Sawant, PhD
                         Professor of Radiation Oncology

Medical Physics Division

The Medicine Physics Division is dedicated to advancing the science and applications of radiation in medicine through exceptional clinical service, innovative research, robust program development, and comprehensive education.

For more information about the division's leadership and faculty, visit the Medical Physics Faculty page.

               Chief of Clinical Medical
               Physics

                     

                    Shifeng Chen, PhD
                    Professor of Radiation Oncology

Goals and Mission

Clinical Excellence

Goal: Oversee technical aspects of patients’ radiation treatments to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Mission: Maintain the highest standards of quality, safety, and consistency across all operational sites and technological platforms, fostering a culture of continuous high-quality patient care.

Research

Goal: Develop and evaluate novel therapeutic approaches through clinical innovation.
Mission: Harness physics as an enabling engine to accelerate the development and translation of novel radiobiological and technological research into clinical practice. 

Education

Goal: Maintain our program as a premier center for didactic education and training of medical physics residents and fellows.
Mission: Disseminate our expertise and experience with novel, cutting-edge technologies and techniques within the larger medical physics community.

                  Interim Director of 
                  Medical Physics, MPTC

                         

                         Sina Mossahebi, PhD
                         Associate Professor of Radiation
                         Oncology

Clinical Service

Our approach to safe and effective clinical service is supported by the medical physics faculty's:

• Participation in patient treatment planning
• Development and maintenance of the department’s quality assurance program
• Support for special treatment delivery protocols

Members of the division have been active in the clinical implementation of:

• 3D conformal
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy

  

• Intensity-modulated arc therapy
• Image-guided radiation therapy
• Low-dose and high-dose brachytherapy
• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy
• State-of-the-art imaging techniques and planning systems for generating high-quality radiation treatment plans

Pictured: physicists collaborating on deep tissue hyperthermia therapy (DTT), a combined therapy to treat tumors using heat.

Program Development and Research

Overview of Radiation Oncology Physics Research

Medical Physics Residency Program (CAMPEP-Accredited)

Director                             Associate Director
Arun Gopal, PhD           Jochen Cammin, PhD
Associate Professor      Associate Professor

Medical Dosimetry Certificate Program (JRCERT-Accredited)

Director
Junliang Xu, PhD
Associate Professor

Clinical Service Arm: Research

Some achievements of the physics team's clinical service support services include:

• Managing inter-fraction motion
• Mitigating intra-fraction motion

Research Programs

Our research endeavors include:

• Multimodality image-guided motion management
• Function- and risk-based treatment planning optimization in thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy
• FLASH radiotherapy
• AI-based treatment response prediction and optimization
• Hyperthermia in radiation therapy

The division’s research programs are primarily supported by extramural funding and vendor-sponsored research agreements. Visit the academic productivity page and learn more about our latest presentation activity at scientific meetings and journal publications.

Medical Physics Certificate Program (CAMPEP-Accredited)

Director                               Associate Director
Nrusingh Biswal, PhD   Yushi Chang, PhD
Associate Professor          Assistant Professor

Education

Our division offers a comprehensive Medical Physics Residency Program that provides hands-on training in cutting-edge radiation therapy techniques, preparing the next generation of leaders in the field. Our medical physics faculty serve as leaders of the department's Medical Dosimetry Program and the CAMPEP-Accredited Medical Physics Certificate Program, offered with the School of Graduate Studies. Visit the medical physics education page for a comprehensive review of our educational programs and offerings.

Our division is committed to a well-rounded educational experience. The medical physics division offers a robust postdoctoral fellow research program, with faculty acting as primary advisors for PhD candidates. 

Additionally, several faculty hold affiliate appointments in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.