Postdoctoral Fellow in Radiation Cancer Therapy

We are seeking skilled and enthusiastic candidates for Postdoctoral Fellow positions in the Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Technology Laboratory (BIRTLab). Our mission is to innovate, develop, and apply cutting-edge biomedical technology to empower cancer research. Successful candidates will join our team to contribute to the following project: a) Assessing ultra-high dose rate radiation therapy (FLASH-RT) for late-responding tissue protection: A translational approach to re-irradiation of spinal metastases

Specifically, radiation therapy (RT) for cancer treatment is often limited by radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity. This challenge is especially critical in re-irradiation settings, where cumulative radiation dose constraints compromise effective tumor control, particularly for patients with recurrent vertebral metastases. FLASH-RT has shown remarkable potential in reducing normal tissue toxicity, making it a transformative approach for safer and more effective re-irradiation. However, its effects on late-responding organs remain unclear, posing a major barrier to clinical translation.

In this project, we will integrate animal models of late responding organs, physicochemical computational modeling, in vivo biological assays, and radiation physics and engineering approaches to define the mechanisms and optimal radiation dosimetric parameters by which FLASH-RT mitigates radiation-induced tissue toxicity, and to translate these insights into clinical application. This work will establish a mechanistic and translational foundation for advancing FLASH-RT toward clinical re-irradiation applications.

The project is highly multi-disciplinary, integrating algorithm development, engineering, physics, and biology components. Candidate do NOT need to have expertise in biology to apply.

BIRTLab provides an exceptional environment for candidates to grow and achieve successful careers:

Lab director Dr. Wang works tirelessly with candidates to ensure they meet their career goals. Through attentive guidance, he encourages members to think creatively and develop their own research projects. All activities are supported by extramural funding through the NIH and Texas CPRIT. Successful members are also eligible for basic clinical medical physics training and a tuition fee waiver to enroll in a certificate program with CAMPEP-accredited courses, which covers medical physics didactic elements for people who enter the medical physics profession through an alternative pathway. This opportunity allows members working toward board-certified medical physicist in radiation oncology sector, ultimately contributing to patient care. The multi-disciplinary projects, strong research environment, and the medical physics pathway together offer a unique opportunity to prepare the candidate for careers in academia, industry, or as professional medical physicist in the U.S.

Candidates with established experience in analytical or computational physics, or with strong physics training are preferred. Applicants holding a Ph.D in physics or engineering are encouraged to apply.

Compensation is based on candidates’ experience and NIH scale with competitive benefits. Interested candidates should send a statement of interest, CV, and the contact information for 3 references to:

Ken Kang-Hsin Wang, Ph.D., DABR

Associate Professor

CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research

Division of Medical Physics and Engineering

Department of Radiation Oncology

Kang-Hsin.Wang@utsouthwestern.edu