Institute of Oncology Ljubljana partners in RadExIORSBoost project to advance radiobiology

The Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (IOL) is excited to announce its partnership in the EU-funded RadExIORSBoost project, a initiative aimed at improving the prediction of individual radiosensitivity in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). This collaborative effort seeks to tailor personalized RT and significantly reduce radiation-induced side effects, thereby enhancing patients' quality of life.

The Institute of Oncology Ljubljana is a partner in the EU-funded RadExIORSBoost project, coordinated by the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (IORS), aiming to develop and implement a strategic Scientific Strategy in radiobiology to enhance the capacity for personalized radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer patients. Leveraging strategic knowledge transfer, networking, and technological innovation, the project unites leading European institutions, including the Medical Faculty Mannheim at Heidelberg University (Germany), the University of Leicester (United Kingdom), and the Medical University of Vienna's Center for Cancer Research (Austria).

RadExIORSBoost project will represent a significant step towards the individualisation of radiotherapy

Through the project objectives, RadExIORSBoost project aims to develop and implement institutional Scientific Strategy on radiobiology, to investigate individual radiosensitivity by transcriptome profiling, radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis, and measurement of DNA damage levels, to design a high-quality clinical study, and to raise the research capacity of IORS and partner institutions through international workshops, short-term visits, and trainings.

Artificial intelligence-based models, such as machine learning may give directions towards the clinical application of peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptome, and list potential biomarkers predicting radiotoxicity, not only in cancer patients, but also in healthy individuals at risk. RadExIORSBoost project may blaze the trail for technological innovations in modern radiation oncology to significantly reduce the side effects of RT and its harmful effects on the environment.

The proposed project will represent a significant step towards the individualisation of radiotherapy, which is a primary goal for scientists and radiotherapists in the coming years in Europe. Implementation of this project will represent a new concept and approach in the field of radiobiology. The RadExIORSBoost will develop a powerful group of researchers, radiobiologists and radiotherapists, and enable future development of radiobiology research, who complement with each other in regard to their expertise. This will make a significant contribution to the advancement of cancer research at a national and European level. The realisation of this project will potentiate future research by the development of a European collaborative research and clinical network.