LIP FLASH radiotherapy project awarded CaixaImpulse Innovation funding
"Project from LIP’s Particles4Health group, led by Pedro Assis, receives support from the “la Caixa” Foundation."
In the photo: Pedro Assis with Gonçalo Roriz and Gonçalo Ribeiro, members of the project team.
The Particles4Health research group at LIP has been awarded funding by the “la Caixa” Foundation under the 2025 edition of the CaixaImpulse Innovation programme, to develop an innovative monitoring system for FLASH radiotherapy.
The project is led by Pedro Assis, LIP researcher and director, and was one of 31 selected from 428 applications in Portugal and Spain. In total, the Foundation will invest 3.8 million euros in biomedical and health projects with high impact potential.
A new device for safer and more effective cancer treatments
The Particles4Health proposal focuses on creating a real-time monitoring system for FLASH radiotherapy, an emerging cancer treatment technique. FLASH delivers very high doses of radiation in extremely short bursts, enabling effective tumour treatment while reducing damage to healthy tissues and minimising side effects.
For this technique to become clinically viable, monitoring systems must withstand such extreme conditions. The team is developing a device based on the Cherenkov effect, capable of measuring radiation with great speed and accuracy, even at ultra-high dose rates.
“This funding is a recognition of our team’s work and an opportunity to bring research closer to concrete health solutions. We believe this technology can help make cancer treatments safer, more effective, and more accessible.” - highlights Pedro Assis.
An international programme with impact
Launched in 2015, CaixaImpulse Innovation has already supported 263 projects, leading to the creation of 54 spin-offs and securing more than 180 million euros in competitive co-funding and private investment.
In Portugal, the call is run in partnership with the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), which co-funds two Portuguese projects selected in this edition.
This project reinforces LIP’s commitment, through the Particles4Health group, to developing disruptive technologies for health.
The full list of projects supported in 2025 is available here.