course-details-portlet

TFY4315

Biophysics of Ionizing Radiation

Credits 7.5
Level Second degree level
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

This course gives an introduction to the deposition of energy from ionizing radiation in biologic materials. Topics presented includes direct and indirect radiation effects, radiation-induced DNA damage and repair, mechanisms of cell death following radiation, quantitative models of cell kill and cell survival, dose-response relationships, tumor and normal tissue responses to radiation, main principles for use of ionizing radiation in cancer therapy, the 5 R's of fractionation, time-dose fractionation, therapeutic ratio, the linear-quadratic model, tumor control probability and normal tissue complication probability models, the dose-rate effect, the volume effect, the oxygen effect, tumor microenvironment and hypoxia, combination of radiotherapy with chemotherapy and molecularly targeted agents, sensitizing and protective agents, hyperthermia, proton and ion therapy.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate should have knowledge about:

  • The interaction of ionizing radiation with biological materials.
  • Mechanisms behind the induction and repair of radiation-induced molecular and cellular effects.
  • The use of ionizing radiation in cancer therapy.

Skills

The candidate should be able to:

  • The use of various mathematical models for the estimation of cell kill and cell survival after irradiation of ionizing radiation.

General competence

The candidate should be able to:

  • Interpretation and presentation of scientific data obtained during the practical work in the laboratory, computer simulations and group work.
  • Reading and presenting research literature.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, compulsory laboratory exercises/demonstrations, and compulsory project work in groups with presentation. Teaching will be in English if students on international master programs are attending the course. Expected workload in the course is 225 hours.

Joint lectures with FY8919.

Compulsory assignments

  • Project with presentation
  • Laboratory exercises

Further on evaluation

Evaluation is made based on a final written exam (100%).

The re-sit exam can be changed from written to oral.

Course materials

To be announced at the start of the semester.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
SIF4092 7.5 sp
FY8919 7.5 sp Autumn 2017
This course has academic overlap with the courses in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Biophysics and Medical Technology
  • Physics

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Physics

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Date 2025-11-24 Time 09:00 Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room for school exam

The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Sluppenvegen 14
Room SL510
14 candidates

Re-sit examination - Summer 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.