= LhARA radiobiology; meeting: 16Apr26; 14:00 GMT =

**ZOOM:** https://imperial-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/98220889714?pwd=SM90vOF7BKSXoU3mD9q7OwBQo4IVB3.1 

Attended: AFr, RW, JMcG, KL, CW, MH, TP, PH, CD, EM, JP

== Meeting Notes == 

1. BioPrep
 - No Major Updates
 - Need to deal with cell survival problem
 - Emma might have a new timing to show max cell survival time
 - Calvin to put together a list of suggestions to improve cell survival

2. SCAPA Beamline
 - No major update
 - A few things have been removed from the beamline 
 - Robbie plans on sending out some things to Josie and I

3. In-Beam Diagnostic
 - Scifi to be tested next Wednesday 22nd
 - Tony has a physical camera for his diagnostics
 - Robbie has been talking with a company called Advacam which do detectors for LET
  - Would have to be placed instead of the cells 
  - May have a minimum of 15MeV
  - Cost is between 8,700 and 12,100 euros without VAT
  - Peter has used these at QMUL
 - Delaminated EBT3 RCF can no longer be ordered
  - Mark still has some sheets if necessary

4. Improving the Beamline
 - CD: LET plots for different energies
  - [raw-attachment:DoseandLET_vs_Energy.pptx​ Slides]
  - Minimum Energy required to reach the cells is 3MeV with 10um Cu scatterer and 2.5MeV without the scatterer
  - The minimum energy to aim for should be 7MeV
  - Hard limit to avoid protons with an energy less than 5MeV. With a scatterer in place, this should be more like 5.5MeV
  - Therefore, the limits of the energy distribution, if described as a Gaussian, should be centred on 7MeV with a maximum standard deviation of 0.7MeV 
  - Based on pre-cells, 4MeV is the hard cut-off for protons before entering cells. 


5. Collaboration Meeting
 - Neither Robbie nor Ben will be there
 - Presentations 
  - Obvious one is the results from Phase 2
   - This should include the next steps for making a publication
  - Subsequent presentation should also include a programme looking forward from October to a couple of years.
   - Include ELIMED
   - Include how to collect reference data
   - Include comparison with electrons? 
    - Need to be clear as to the question this answers, if we do include it in the plan
 - https://indico.stfc.ac.uk/event/1783/

6. IPAC Contribution
 - 3/4 of a page on the beamline and results
 - Robbie has said he will write a first draft since he has a paper coming out as well

6. DoNM 
 - 14/05/26

7. AoB 
 - ELIMED proposal 
  - Emma is the coordinator for this
  - Deadline 22nd April
  - Discussion needed to deal with their problems with the application
  - Solution to bio-facilities:
   - Nearby facility to use?
    - Robbie might know someone
   - Portable bio kit
   - Do DNA damage rather than clonogenics as it's less time intensive on their kit
  - https://up.eli-laser.eu/call/8th-call-for-users-5pk2js
  - https://up.eli-laser.eu/instrument/elimaia-AyTTqw

=== Summary of actions required ===

In-Beam Diagnostics
- **RW, CD**: Study correlation between laser diagnostics and mean dose
- **CD, TP**: Refine evaluations of LET in the cells with the RCF in front
- **CD**: Predict the cell dish dose from the RCF in front of it
- Initial measurements of sci-fi arrays
- Provide plan for Master's students who will count photons from UV source for sci-fi arrays
- **PH**: Investigate how to get the light out of the vacuum chamber
- **Unassigned**: Investigate how a phosphor sheet could be incorporated into the design of the cell dish
- **Unassigned**: Acquire a glass sheet

Bio Next Steps
- **EM**: Write up technical summary of Phase 2
- **EM**: Write up a future biology plan
 - Decide whether to use Marie's lab and whether to stick with HeLa
- **EM, MB, JP, RA**: Meet to finalise details
- **CD**: Gather ideas for improving cell survival
- **Unassigned**: Obtain an inverted microscope
- **Unassigned**: Obtain multi-chamber haemocytometers (Might be able to use Birmingham's)
- **Unassigned**: Run controls to examine how long the cells can survive vertically

Improve the spatial variation
- Decide the energy we should be optimising for
 - **RW**: Examine energy spectra variation
 - **CD**: Find LET for different energies in the cell dish
  - **DONE**

Other Beamlines
- **JMcG**: Simulate BELLA
- **JMcG**: Talk to ELI people and simulate ELI
- **EM**: Coordinate ELIMED bid

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