M.Sc. in Health and Radiation Physics

Health Physics is interdisciplinary, bridging the fields of medicine, biology, engineering and physical science. It provides scientific method and knowledge of Radiation Protection to the Health Care and Nuclear industries and regulatory bodies. The program consists of a course- and project-based MSc. Research is conducted with faculty using McMaster radiation facilities or at industrial partners facilities. Some students are presently working in the Health Physics field in industry and pursue the program part-time.Areas of ResearchBrachytherapy radioisotopes, interface dosimetry, imaging dose distributions, neutron micro-dosimetry;Nuclear and atomic techniques used for analysis of both trace toxic elements and major components of human body composition;Development of novel radiopharmaceuticals and medical use of radioisotopes in diagnosis and therapy;Novel methods of imaging bone architecture and joint structure non-invasively;Magnetic Resonance Imaging;DNA damage and DNA repair processes in carcinogenesis;Adaptive response, genomic instability and bystander effect in radiation risk assessment of human and non-human biota;Laser and light propagation in tissue for photodynamic therapy and tissue characterization;Skeletal muscle function and the mechanisms of repairregeneration;Radiation ccident dosimetry;Advanced methods of optimization for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and gel dosimetry.

Student must have: Honours Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent; Bplus (B- for Engineering) minimum average, based on a full year equivalent of final year courses (3rd/4th level) relevant to the program.