VINCENZO PATERA

Corso di Fisica II per Ingegneria Clinica

Le lezioni del corso inizieranno lunedi'  23 Settembre 2024, ore 8, aula 14 , via A.Scarpa 16

Ho aperto una classe di Classrom relativa a questo corso, su cui posterò le info relative al corso, quindi vi chiederei di registrarvi al più presto.

La pagina del corso e' raggiungibile tramite il seguente link di Classrom:

https://classroom.google.com/c/NzA5ODg5NjUwMjY4?hl=it&cjc=2xggbhw

( il codice del corso e': 2xggbhw) 

POSITION(s)

2018 - now Full Professor at SBAI (Base and Applied Science for Engineering) Department - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
2010 - 2018 Associate Professor at SBAI Department - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
1999 - 2010 Associate Professor at Energetics Department - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
1992 - 1999 Permanent Researcher at Energetics Department - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
1990 - 1992 Permanent Researcher at Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare, Italy
1992 Visiting Researcher at California Institute of Technology, California, USA
1987 - 1989 Research Grant of Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Frascati National Lab., Itay

EDUCATION
1987 Master Degree in Elementary Particle Physics: 110/110 cum laude Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

I launched my research career in high-energy physics, contributing to the MACRO cosmic-ray experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratories and to CP-violation studies in the KLOE experiment at the DAPHNE collider in Frascati. These world-class collaborations provided the foundations for my later work in medical applications of particle physics.

In 2012, I founded the Applied Radiation Physics Group at Sapienza University of Rome, creating a multidisciplinary team dedicated to innovation in Particle Therapy (PT). Under my leadership, we advanced Monte Carlo (MC) tools for PT, co-authoring FLUKA and developing the fast MC code FRED [8,9]. I coordinated key experiments, including FIRST [ref], to refine MC beam–patient interaction models [1,2], culminating in the FOOT international collaboration (FR, DE, IT, JP) to measure proton RBE and fragmentation cross sections critical for PT and space radiation [6,7].

To address the unmet need for real-time dose monitoring, I led the INSIDE project [3], a dual-mode PET/charged-particle detector now in clinical trials at CNAO [4] for monitoring patient morphology changes between treatment fractions. I also initiated MONDO, a scintillating-fibre neutron tracker with SPAD readout, achieving high-efficiency, precise neutron backtracking [5].

Following the discovery of the Flash effect in 2020, I coordinated the first electron treatment planning system and also detector R&D for Ultra High Dose Rate (UHDR) radiotherapy [ref]. My group demonstrated the performance of VHEE and low-energy external radiotherapy in UHDR mode [10]. As PI of the SAFEST project, I am now leading the design of a clinical UHDR electron LINAC for VHEE treatments.

Across 15 years, my work has combined detector innovation, advanced computational modelling, and accelerator development, positioning me to deliver transformative advances in precision PT.

RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

In the last 15 years I have been PI of the following projects

Project Institution Duration
SAFEST (Sapienza Flash Electron Source for Radiotherapy) MIUR (Ministry Research Italy) & Sapienza (PNRR/PE_6 project) 2023-2026
MORSE (Monitor for flash therapy) MIUR & Sapienza (PRIN project) 2023-2026
FOOT (Fragmentation of Target) INFN (National Institute of Nuclear Physics) 2016-2022
Innovative non-invasive imaging of dose release in hadrontherapy Centro Ricerche Enrico Fermi & MIUR (Flagship project) 2014-2018
INSIDE (Innovative Solutions for In-beam Dosimetry in Particle Therapy) MIUR & Sapienza (PRIN project) 2013-2015
Multiple sources, real-time Imaging for Hadrontherapy Centro Ricerche Enrico Fermi & MIUR (Flagship project) 2012-2014
Other scientific responsibilities
2019 – now Spokesperson of the International Biophysics Collaboration at GSI >200 researchers, >20 Countries (https://www.gsi.de/en/work/research/biophysics/biophysics_collaboration)
2014 – 2016 PI of the NCS@HIT experiment at Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) funded by the Union of Light Ion Centers in Europe (ULICE)
2010 - 2015 Spokesperson of the FIRST-S361 (Fragmentation of Ions Relevant for Space and Therapy) international collaboration (Italy, France, Germany)

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Since 1995, continuous teaching activity at Sapienza University in the Faculties of Engineering and Physics:
• Courses: Medical Applications of Physics, Radiation Physics Applied to Medicine, General Physics II (Electromagnetism), General Physics I (Mechanics & Thermodynamics)
• Postgraduate School in Medical Physics: Radioprotection, Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques

Supervision
• 40 MSc theses (Physics and Engineering, Sapienza)
• 14 PhD theses (Sapienza, Roma Tre, Tor Vergata)
• 3 Specialty theses (Postgraduate School in Medical Physics, Sapienza)
• 11 post-doc fellowships (Sapienza, CREF, INFN)
Many former students now hold positions in universities, hospitals, research centres, and industry, including Sapienza University, INFN, SIT S.p.A., Marrelli Health, National Cancer Institute of Milan, ASL Naples, Campus Bio-Medico, CNAO, IBA Trento, ISS, and ELI Beamlines Prague.

Other teaching roles
• 2022–present Director, Postgraduate School in Medical Physics, Sapienza
• 2019–2022  Deputy Director, Postgraduate School in Medical Physics, Sapienza
• 2023–present Founder & Board Member, Master in Radioprotection, Sapienza
• 2013–present Board Member, PhD School in Accelerator Physics, Sapienza

EXPLOITATION, DISSEMINATION and OUTREACH

I facilitated the spreading of the knowledge with a sizeable activity of reviewing and referee. I also gave impulse to technology transfer via patents and creation of startup related to medical physics

Patents:
• 2021 National, (2024) European and USA Patent P3080IT00. Development of a new class of plastic scintillators for the realisation of fast timing detectors. Shared ownership Sapienza and CREF.
• 2021 National Patent PCT/IT:”DISPOSITIVO PER IL TRATTAMENTO RADIOTERAPICO”, request number 102021000021740 Shared ownership Sapienza and S.I.T
• 2014 National Patent PCT/IT2014/00002: “Intraoperative detection of tumour residues using beta- radiation and corresponding probes” WO 2014118815 A2 Shared ownership INFN, Sapienza, CREF.

Startup:
Since 2024 I am CEO and cofounder DARTS s.r.l, Diagnostic and Applications for Radiotherapy Technology and Simulations - University StartUP.

Referee:
Referee for DFG (German Research Foundation), KWF (Dutch Cancer Society), MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research): VQR, PRIN, FIRB, CIVR programs
Reviewer:
Scientific Reports, Physics in Medicine and Biology, Physica Medica, Medical Physics, Journal of Radiation Research, Nuclear Instruments and Methods, Translational Cancer Research, Frontiers in Oncology, Journal of Radiation Oncology, Advances in Physics, Transaction of Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on Radiation and Plasma Medical Sciences

COMMISSIONS OF TRUST AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC COMMITMENTS

• Evaluator of 10 Ph.D. in different countries (France, Italy, Germany, Spain)
• Commission of trust for 5 Full and Associate professor positions and 15 researcher positions in Universities, several Ph.D. boards, 10 post-Doc and 10 technical positions.
• Member of the Committee for the assignment of the INFN 2017 post-doc fellowships for foreigners

2025 – now Scientific advisor for INFN in the Review Research Board of FAIR)
2020 – now Chair of the Bio-PAC selection Panel of the GSI
2019 - 2024 Chair of the User selection Panel of the Beam Test Facility (BTF) of LNF
2024 – now Member of the Gantry-Less Radiotherapy ESTRO working group.
2023 – now Member of NuPECC Health Working Group
2023 – now Member of “Tavolo tematico sulle Radiazioni” dell’ASI
2022 – now Member of the Technical Scientific Committee for the research in “Health in Space,
Biotechnology and Microgravity” of Italia Space Agency
2012 - 2014 Member of Users Committee of Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS)
2010 - 2014 Member of the Scientific Committee of FLUKA (CERN-INFN) international collaboration