The 4000th eye tumour patient treated with protons at HZB
Overview: Number of patients treated with prontons at HZB from 1998 to 2020. © HZB/S. Kodalle
On 19 February 2021, the 4000th eye tumour patient received irradiation with protons, performed by a joint team from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The number of patients treated in 2020 remained at the previous year's level despite the more difficult corona conditions. The treatment in Berlin-Wannsee is only available for uveal melanomas of the eye. The proton accelerator at HZB is the only therapy site for this disease in Germany.
For more than 20 years, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have jointly offered irradiation of eye tumours with protons. For this purpose, the HZB operates a proton accelerator, while the medical care of patients is provided by the Charité.
"We congratulate the joint team on this great success and thank them for doing everything they could under the difficult pandemic conditions to maintain the operation of the life-saving eye tumour therapy," says Prof. Bernd Rech, spokesman for the scientific management of HZB.
500 to 600 people contract malignant uveal melanoma in Germany every year. In 97 percent of cases, the tumour can be completely destroyed by irradiation with protons. In most cases, not only the eye but also the vision can be preserved to a satisfactory degree. Radiation with protons is a particularly effective method: the energy of the proton beam can be adjusted in such a way that practically only the tumour receives the radiation, while the surrounding healthy tissue is spared.
- Green hydrogen: MXene boosts the effectiveness of catalystsMXenes are adept at hosting catalytically active particles. This property can be exploited to create more potent catalyst materials that significantly accelerate and enhance the oxygen evolution reaction, which is one of the bottlenecks in the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis using solar or wind power. A detailed study by an international team led by HZB chemist Michelle Browne shows the potential of these new materials for future large-scale applications. The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials.
- Joint Berlin Data & AI Center plannedData-driven research is crucial for tackling societal challenges- whether in health, materials, or climate research. In a collaboration that is so far unique, Berlin University Alliance (BUA), the Max Delbrück Center, and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, together with the Zuse Institute Berlin, aim to establish a powerful Data and AI Center in the German capital.
- Industrial Research Fellow at HZB: More time for discussionsThe South African chemist Denzil Moodley is the first Industrial Research Fellow at HZB. He is playing a leading role in the CARE-O-SENE project. The Fellowship program aims to further accelerate the development of an efficient catalyst for a sustainable aviation fuel. An interview about the CARE-O-SENE project and why it is so important for scientists from industry and public research to work together.