His research topic involves nuclear physics, atomic physics and medical physics. According to Boon Quan, the research that he is working on may lead to the development of a new kind of molecular radiotherapy that is based on the interaction of Auger electrons with tumours. “Ideally, the Auger ‘electron-based’ therapies only damage the tumours but not the neighbouring healthy cells,” he said. “This is because Auger electrons travel very short distance in the order of nanometre due to their low energy, so they damage only the small volume in the immediate vicinity of the radioactive isotopes.”
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| Lee Boon Quan standing in front of the Department of Nuclear Physics in the Australian National University (ANU). |
