2025-2026 MCW Radiation Oncology Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 3
2025-2026 Medical College of Wisconsin, Radia琀椀on Oncology Annual Report
Annual Highlights from our Physics Chief
What a year it has been! I recall si琀�ng at my desk late one night in early January 2025
thinking about the Everest of work that lay before the physics sec琀椀on. While preparing
this le琀琀er, I started jo琀�ng down a list of accomplishments over the last twelve months;
when I finished, the list spilled over two pages! Here are a few highlights.
In clinical opera琀椀ons, we completed cri琀椀cal infrastructure upgrades that enabled
Comprehensive Mo琀椀on Management on the MR-Linac, supported proton therapy
readiness, and posi琀椀oned our Elekta pla琀昀orms for scalable online adap琀椀ve workflows. We
commissioned a second Radixact system to increase capacity in an琀椀cipa琀椀on of the proton
halo effect. In collabora琀椀on with Cardiology and our physician counterparts, we launched
a stereotac琀椀c arrythmia radioabla琀椀on (STAR) program and successfully treated four
pa琀椀ents with refractory ventricular tachycardia. We resolved key facility readiness
challenges for proton therapy, accepted our “P1” machine, and began its commissioning.
In parallel, we have developed new so昀琀ware tools to improve efficiency, quality, and
safety. Importantly, this growth occurred while maintaining world class clinical physics support across five campuses.
Our research efforts remain highly produc琀椀ve and transla琀椀onally focused. In 2025, we published 40 abstracts and ten
manuscripts. We maintained a global presence with oral presenta琀椀ons at ESTRO, MR in RT, AAPM, and ASTRO. We filed
three inven琀椀on disclosures with the MCW Office of Technology Development and advanced collabora琀椀ons with
commercial partners to translate novel technologies and workflows into clinic prac琀椀ce. Our portfolio spans quantitative
imaging, augmented-reality, artificial intelligence, and advanced dosimetry, reflecting our commitment to biologically
informed and image-guided precision radiotherapy.
In educa琀椀on, we completed a mul琀椀-year restructuring of our physics residency program, modernizing clinical rota琀椀ons
and transi琀椀oning to digital competency tracking. In addi琀椀on, we ini琀椀ated a comprehensive reassessment of our physics
cer琀椀ficate program. Our faculty con琀椀nued its commitment to provide didac琀椀c and hands-on physics training for
radia琀椀on therapy and dosimetry students, as well as physics and physician residents. We were par琀椀cularly pleased to
announce that two of our physics residents will join our faculty in July.
In global health, I participated in an institutional review of UMC Utrecht’s six research programs. During that process, I
encountered the Dutch concept of valorization - the deliberate translation of knowledge and innovation into societal
impact. That concept perfectly resonates with our mission: innovation is only meaningful if it improves patient care.
Looking ahead to 2026, with the launch of proton therapy, our focus shi昀琀s toward online adap琀椀ve proton therapy,
proton arc therapy, and ini琀椀a琀椀on of a FLASH research program. We will advance toward biologically guided adaptive
radiotherapy on the MR-Linac, leveraging a next-generation treatment planning system under development. We will
extend adaptive workflows to our Elekta linacs and position ourselves for innovation in Theranostics.
As we approach the summit of this year’s achievements, we stand on a foundation built through the collective effort,
innovation, and dedication of the entire physics section. The “Everest” is no longer a distant peak; it is now the platform
from which our department will shape the future of radiation oncology. I cannot wait!
Eric Paulson, PhD
Professor and Chief Physicist, Department of Radia琀椀on Oncology
Professor, Departments of Radiology, Biophysics, and Biochemical Engineering
Medical College of Wisconsin
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