Maria P茅rez Lara

Maria Laura P茅rez-Lara

Post Doctoral Researcher 路 University of 糖心TV

Focus - Medical radiation transport 2025 鈥� Present

Physicist working on radiation transport for medical applications 鈥� Geant4 simulation and validation for proton therapy, from fast SDE-based dose calculation to secondary-particle characterisation and environmental monitoring at the UCLH Proton Centre. Background in assessing alternative radiotherapy methods (proton beam therapy, boron neutron capture therapy) with semiconductor detectors, X-ray imaging with Medipix detectors, Monte Carlo simulation and data processing.

Body of work

6 items

Year

Preprint 2025 路 Nov

arXiv 路 submitted to Physics in Medicine & Biology 路 with C. Dean, E. Horton, M. Southerby, J. Koskela & A. Kyprianou

Geant4 validation of the programme's SDE-based dose calculation tool for proton therapy 鈥� faster calculations than full Monte Carlo, validated in a laboratory setting, with potential as an add-on to hospital treatment-planning systems and QA workflows.

鈥篊++ validation code available at .
鈥篍arly-concept extension: a coupled SCONE鈥揝DE dose calculation tool for boron neutron capture therapy (with T. Bonnet, M. Southerby, C. Dean & J. Koskela).

Linked 路 arXiv Proton therapyDose calculationGeant4

Model 2025 路 in progress

Model of radioactive gas emissions at the UCLH Proton Centre

UCLH Proton Centre 路 with CFD modelling by K. Philips & I. Souttar

A coupled Geant4 + computational-fluid-dynamics model characterising the production and transport of radioactive gaseous emissions from the UCLH Proton Centre chimney 鈥� supporting environmental monitoring and regulatory reporting. Prototype scripts and stack-detector raw data exist; validation against room-detector measurements is the next step.

鈥篈 technical report and a presentation at the PTCOG64 conference are planned.

Asserted Geant4Environmental monitoringIn progress

Model 2025 路 in progress

Simulation of secondary gammas for Compton-camera dose monitoring

UCLH Proton Centre 路 with Bayesian modelling by A. Cox

A Geant4-based simulation of secondary gamma production in the Proton Centre, feeding a Bayesian model for non-invasive proton dose monitoring with Compton cameras 鈥� a route to nuclear-imaging QA tools for proton therapy. Coupling with the Bayesian model is the next milestone.

Asserted Compton cameraGeant4In progress

Dataset 2025 路 in progress

Characterisation of secondary neutrons in proton therapy

with T. Bonnet, M. Southerby, C. Dean & J. Koskela

A Geant4 simulation framework producing secondary-neutron data for realistic proton-therapy scenarios 鈥� informing radiation-protection assessment and shielding design. Scripts live in a private GitHub repository; sensitivity studies and comparisons are planned before release.

Asserted Secondary neutronsRadiation protectionIn progress

Adoption pathway 2025 鈫� present

Fast dose calculations for the UCLH proton-beam-therapy team

UCLH PBT team

The UCLH proton-beam-therapy team needs fast dose calculations for treatment planning and QA; the SDE code delivers them faster than full Monte Carlo. Engagement is under way through emails and workshops, with a demo session and clinically realistic validation as the next steps.

Impact trajectory

Validated

Engaged

Demo

Adoption

鈥篍xploratory sibling pathway: Compton-camera dose verification for clinical QA researchers 鈥� capacity-building stage, likelihood currently Low.
鈥篍xploratory sibling pathway: co-designed BNCT dose calculations with BNCT hospital teams 鈥� concept stage, likelihood currently Low.

Asserted AdoptionProton therapy

Integration pathway 2025 鈫� present

Emissions and neutron data for the UCLH radiation-protection team

UCLH Radiation Protection team

The radiation-protection team needs estimates of radioactive emissions from the Proton Centre chimney; the coupled Geant4鈥揅FD model predicts gas transport and activity levels. Everyone involved is engaged by email, with a joint workshop across the RP, PBT and detector teams the next step 鈥� dependent on ventilation specifications and validation measurements.

Impact trajectory

Prototype

Engaged

Validated

Integration

鈥篠ibling pathway: the secondary-neutron dataset informs shielding design and secondary dose for the same team 鈥� dataset sharing under discussion, likelihood Medium.

Asserted IntegrationRadiation protection

Output over time

2025 鈥� 2026

2025

2026

Research

Joined MaThRad 路 medical applications thread

SDE dose-calculation preprint 路 arXiv (Nov)

UCLH emissions model 路 prototype

Secondary-neutron framework 路 prototype

PTCOG64 presentation 路 planned

Emissions model validation 路 target

Collab

Impact

UCLH PBT team engagement

UCLH radiation-protection engagement