Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, discovered two elements, polonium and radium, both highly radioactive. This groundbreaking work laid the foundation for understanding radioactive substances and how they could interact with human tissues.
Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she remains the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields (Physics and Chemistry). Her work in Physics was fundamental to understanding radioactive decay, and her Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for her research on radium and polonium.
In 1920, Curie helped establish the Curie Foundation, which focused on cancer research and treatment. Her work directly influenced the development of radiotherapy techniques that target and kill cancer cells, which remain foundational in oncology today.
Marie Curie inspired countless scientists, especially women, to pursue careers in science. Her daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, followed in her footsteps, earning a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work in radioactivity. Together, they proved that scientific dedication can shape scientific progress and practical medical treatments.
Marie Curie’s legacy lives on in modern oncology departments worldwide, where radiotherapy remains one of the primary treatments for cancer. Her passion and commitment helped transform radioactive elements from mysterious substances to powerful tools for healing.
Building on Marie Curie’s legacy in radiotherapy, new advancements in this field continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in cancer treatment. One such is FLASH Radiotherapy & Particle Therapy - FRPT.
FLASH radiotherapy represents a breakthrough in cancer treatment. It delivers ultra-high doses of radiation over milliseconds rather than the slower, fractionated doses used in conventional radiotherapy. This ultra-fast method has shown potential in preclinical studies to effectively kill tumor cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissue much more than traditional methods. It’s a game-changer because it could potentially reduce the entire treatment course from the usual 15 sessions to a single session.
At BrightComSol, we are developing a new dosimetry system for FLASH radiotherapy to help cancer patients receive precise radiation doses during radiotherapy.
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