Medical Physics Seminar – Monday, January 25, 2016
The Future of Radiological Engineering in Oncology (And Why It's Important)
Bryan P. Bednarz, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dept of Medical Physics, UW-School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI - USA
Engineering research by definition is concerned with the discovery and conceptual structuring of knowledge. Engineering research in academia has made a tremendous impact on the fields of medical physics and radiation oncology. However, stagnant federal funding for medical research and a realignment of national cancer research priorities has limited the academic engineers role in radiation oncology making it less likely that disruptive technology will be introduced into the clinical setting. This talk will examine the rise and significance of academic engineering in radiation oncology. It will explore the relevance of industrial and clinical partnerships to the engineering researcher. It will draw upon historical and personal examples to argue that deemphasizing the role of engineering research could permanently weaken the well-established practice of radiation oncology leading to poorer quality and less availability of this specialty worldwide.