Medical Physics in Clinical and Preclinical research

The Research Community (RC) in Medical Physics is conducted by dedicated researchers consisting of physicists, chemists, engineers and physicians from
1) University of Helsinki (UH)

Faculty of Sciences
Department of Physics, Division of Materials Physics, Laboratory of Medical Physics
Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Radiochemistry

Faculty of Medicine
Institute of Biomedicine, Biomedicum Imaging Unit (BIU),

Faculty of Pharmacy
Centre for Drug Research (CDR)

2) Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCH), HUS Medical Imaging Center

3) STUK - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Radiation Metrology Laboratory

4) Private health care sector: Planmeca Oy, Terveystalo Oy, Physico-Medicae Ltd.

The established RC is a vital group in the field of medical physics in research and doctoral training, and playing an important role nationally. It has access to the top Finnish sites in medical physics research and it is a balanced combination of experienced post doctoral scientists and enthusiastic graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree and hospital physicist qualification. The RC consists of institutes, which all have the authorized rights to give practical training for coming hospital physicists. Each institute in RC has the responsible trainer nominated by the qualifi-cation board of national hospital physicists in Finland. UH and HUCH are responsible for coordinating the educa-tion, so that potential hospital physicists can achieve the needed practical training within four years. The responsi-bility of academic training and education is at the Department of Physics at UH.
http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/tutkimus/mat/english/research/medical/
http://www.hus.fi/default.asp?path=1,28,824,2050,4415,21845 (in Finnish)

Quantitative imaging – clinical and preclinical - with various modalities is essential for accurate diagnostics, drug re-search and is the basis of treatment planning, extending from macrodosimetry to cell level microdosimetry. There are various preclinical and clinical problems motivating further research i.e. dosimetric calculations, in vivo do-simetry and imaging, reconstruction and study of new molecular carriers, which the RC have expertise needed for resolving the issues. The RC benefits HUCH by developing novel and improving methods for medical diagnosis and treatment. Within the past decade, HUCH has invested considerably in setting up and in testing with pilot-level studies several frontier methodologies at the intersection between radiology, oncology, paediatrics, physics, and neuroscientific fields of medicine. Presently, all these techniques are at the edge of becoming truly established and approved as part of everyday healthcare in HUCH. Additionally, the specialized training for potential hospital physi-cists ensures competent experts in the field of medical physics for HUCH. Collaboration between institutes of RC provides a very wide range of expertise, warranting multidisciplinary research with highest quality.

• The Biomedicum Imaging Unit (BIU) provides expertise and state-of-the-art equipment for modern multi-dimensional biomedical imaging applications. http://www.biu.helsinki.fi/
• The CDR hosts a nanoSPECT/CT instrument, which enables quantitative, real-time ultra-high resolution 3D morphological imaging and tracking of radiolabeled substances in rodents. http://www.cdr.fi/index.php/
• Tracers in molecular imaging (TRIM) research group at the Laboratory of Radiochemistry develops radiophar-maceuticals for diagnostics and for drug discovery, including development of novel applications for exploiting isotopic labelling methods in drug delivery research. http://www.helsinki.fi/kemia/radiokemia/trimteam/
• Laboratory of Organic Chemistry has modern equipment for organic synthesis, sample purification and molecu-lar structure characterization. It offers a full range of organic analytical techniques, especially NMRS, and is in major role when new possible drugs for diagnostics. http://www.helsinki.fi/kemia/orgaaninen/index.htm
• Research at STUK and Radiation Metrology Laboratory is focused on the detection, dosimetry and safe medi-cal use of radiation. http://www.stuk.fi/tutkimus/en_GB/index_uusi/
• Planmeca has just recently decided to broaden research & development and product portfolio to medical imaging business. Planmeca works closely with the leading universities as well as number of end-users in order to stay in the forefront of the development. http://www.planmeca.com/en/home
• Physico-Medicae provides professional services in all fields of medical physics. http://physicomedicae.fi/welcome.html?Itemid=95
• Terveystalo offers versatile healthcare, occupational healthcare, medical and examination services http://www.terveystalo.com/en/