On 19-20 February, representatives of the Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre and specialists from the Federal Scientific Clinical Centre for Medical Radiology and Oncology of FMBA of Russia visited JINR. The aim of the visit was to discuss prospects for the creation of a Scientific and Сlinical Centre for Proton Therapy in Dubna. The delegation got acquainted with the JINR scientific infrastructure in the Laboratory of Radiation Biology, the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, and the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions.

A meeting took place as part of the visit, with the participants delivering reports on the creation of a Proton Therapy Centre in Dubna. RAS Academician, surgical oncologist Igor Reshetov and General Director of the Federal Scientific Clinical Centre for Medical Radiology and Oncology of FMBA of Russia Yuri Udalov took part remotely.

JINR Assistant Director for the Development of Biomedical Projects Grigory Shirkov made a report “The concept of the Scientific and Clinical Centre for Proton Therapy in Dubna”. He presented a plan for the development of the MSC-230 Cyclotron project and the supply of equipment for oncology treatment to medical centres, including those in JINR Member States.

At the first stage of the project’s implementation, the MSC-230 prototype model will be gradually installed at JINR. At the same time, a programme will be formed to develop the latest proton therapy technologies and conduct radiobiological research. Next, the product will be registered in the JINR’s location country, Russia, and trial operation will be carried out at the clinical centre in Dubna. In addition, advanced medical techniques and technologies will be licensed and introduced into clinical practice. At the final stage, mass production will be launched with the further possibility of supplying equipment to clinical centres of JINR Member States and other partner countries.

“With this project being based on Russian technologies, the MSC-230 facility, which will allow for research of new cancer treatment methods, would be very important for the development of advanced medical technologies,” Shirkov noted at the end of his speech.

Director of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology Aleksander Bugay presented a report on radiobiological research on proton beams. According to the scientist, the natural continuation of the centre’s project is a programme of both fundamental research and its applications for the development of new technologies for proton therapy.

JINR implements a broad research programme both in the field of fundamental radiobiology and its applications in radiation medicine, space research, radiation safety, and astrobiology. It also implements projects on the derived beams of the NICA Accelerator Complex and other experimental facilities, interlaboratory projects in bioinformatics, as well as work with biological objects and cell cultures.

Chief Engineer of the JINR Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems at JINR Sergey Yakovenko provided an update on the MSC-230 Medical Superconducting Cyclotron Project developed in partnership with the D.V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus. Based on JINR’s unique technology for the production of superconducting magnets, superconducting coils and a cryogenic system for MSC-230 will be created at the Joint Institute. During 2024, its main parts, such as a superconducting magnet winding, a cryostat, and a helium refrigerator, will be manufactured. Next, JINR plans to develop control units for the plant’s subsystems and manufacture the output, resonant, and vacuum systems of the cyclotron. The completion of the MSC-230 Cyclotron is scheduled for early 2025.

DLNP Head of the Radiation Medicine and Biology Sector Gennady Mitsyn finished the presentation programme with a report on the peculiarities of beam formation for proton flash therapy at the MSC-230 Accelerator. The flash therapy method involves delivery of the therapeutic radiation dose to the tumor at an ultra-high dose rate in the beam, several orders of magnitude higher than that usually used in standard radiotherapy. In this mode of irradiation, the damage to normal tissues surrounding the tumor and falling under the influence of radiation decreases; at the same time, the effect on cancer cells remains almost at the same level, which improves the prospect of local control of the tumor with a lower frequency of side effects.

Some ideas and solutions for implementing the new project were tested using beams from the now decommissioned JINR phasotron with a proton energy of 660 MeV and a maximum current of 1 μA. The task was to form a beam homogeneous in cross-section with a diameter sufficient for irradiation of both cell cultures and small laboratory animals such as mice and rats, and with a dose rate necessary for flash effect radiation (at least 40-50 Gy/sec). In addition, such beam was also useful for testing various detectors for dosimetry, which will be created will be created as part of the plan, in ultra-high dose rates.

The participants summarised the results during the discussion and talked about the plans and further strategy for the development of the Proton Therapy Centre in Dubna.