Today, radiation is used to diagnose and treat many medical conditions, including most cancers. This radiation, which can take several forms, plays a role in everything from imaging to therapy, and is a constantly developing area of medical research and practice.
In this context, the Terry Fox Research Institute is helping to build capacity in radiation medicine by supporting the Strategic Training in Transdisciplinary Radiation Science for the 21st Century (STARS21), a long-standing training program led by Drs. Marianne Koritzinsky (University Health Network) and Anne Koch (University of Toronto Department of Radiation Oncology).
The program, which evolved from the preciously funded Excellence in Radiation Research for the 21 Century Program (EIRR21), is committed to recruiting and training innovative radiation medicine researchers who will form the next generation of investigators in this growing field of cancer research.
The program is designed to provide clinicians, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with the skills needed to conduct innovative research in radiation medicine and with the leadership, management, collaboration and communication proficiencies necessary to define them as the future leaders of Canada's scientific community.
STARS21 is supported by a diverse international multidisciplinary group encompassing physicians, molecular radiation biologists, radiation physicists and bio-informaticians and radiation therapists and is funded by agencies and corporate sponsors. Its training centre is based at the University of Toronto – Department of Radiation Oncology, with the research and training conducted at the following affiliated Hospital-Research Institutes and International Partners:
The program is supported by funds from Terry Fox Research Institute, along with matching contributions from the Princess Margaret Radiation Medicine Program and Princess Margaret Research.