LhARA will revolutionise cancer care

LhARA

Laser-hybrid Accelerator for Radiobiological Applications

is innovative technology.

is poised to revolutionise the treatment of the most challenging cancers.

is offering hope for the future of cancer care.

is being developed to serve the Ion Therapy Research Facility.

Treating Cancer: From Protons to Photons

  • Current Treatment

    High-energy X-rays are used most frequently in the delivery of radiotherapy.

  • Advanced Treatment

    Particle-beam radiotherapy (proton and ion beams) is a precise way to kill cancerous cells while sparing healthy tissues.

  • The Problem

    Make particle-beam radiotherapy accessible to the many by reducing the size and cost of the clinical systems of tomorrow

  • The Solution

    LhARA will be a hybrid system in which a laser will produce protons and ions, bringing about the next generation of cancer care.

How does it work?

In LhARA, a high-power pulsed laser will be used to drive the creation of a large flux of protons or ions which are captured and formed into a beam by strong-focusing electron-plasma lenses. Rapid acceleration will be performed using a fixed-field alternating-gradient accelerator.

The laser and the laser-target vessel are housed in a shielded bunker (green structures). The capture line, composed of three Gabor lenses emerges from the bunker and guides the beam to the acceleration system and biological research laboratories.

The Future of Cancer

  • The World Health Organization projects over 35 million new cancer cases predicted in 2050.

  • Radiotherapy is used in 50% of cancer patients and results in 40% of cancer cures, second only to surgery.

  • The fight against cancer calls for planning and innovative treatments to begin now. LhARA is part of this groundbreaking technology that will revolutionise cancer treatment for the future.

“Together, the collaboration is making beams faster and more energetic, whilst reducing the distances they have to travel before entering patients' bodies. This will drive down the cost of facilities, allowing more patients access to these state of the art treatments. Not only that, but it will feed back into the physical sciences by helping to discover more properties of particle beams.”

Further material is being prepared, for the moment further details can be found here.

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LhARA has established international collaborations with partners from academia, oncology, the NHS, industry, and patient representatives.

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