The Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory operated from 1949 to 2002. It was most notable for its contributions to the development of
proton therapy.
The Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory was built with office of Naval Research funds between 1946 and 1949 to replace an earlier, lower energy, cyclotron that was sent to
Los Alamos for use in the
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...
.
[ Richard Wilson, "A Brief History of the Harvard University Cyclotrons", Harvard University Press, 2004]
Until 1961, the laboratory primarily performed experiments in
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
. The lab performed research and development in
particle physics
Particle physics or high energy physics is the study of fundamental particles and forces that constitute matter and radiation. The fundamental particles in the universe are classified in the Standard Model as fermions (matter particles) an ...
(including ''particle detectors'' development and testing),
activation analysis,
radiobiology
Radiobiology (also known as radiation biology, and uncommonly as actinobiology) is a field of clinical and basic medical sciences that involves the study of the action of ionizing radiation on living things, especially health effects of radiation. ...
, and
solid state physics.
The use of proton
particle accelerator
A particle accelerator is a machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to very high speeds and energies, and to contain them in well-defined beams.
Large accelerators are used for fundamental research in particle ...
s for
external beam radiotherapy
External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is the most common form of radiotherapy (radiation therapy). The patient sits or lies on a couch and an external source of ionizing radiation is pointed at a particular part of the body. In contrast to brachyt ...
was largely developed at this facility in collaboration with
Massachusetts General Hospital.
From 1961 to its closing, the laboratory provided proton therapy to over 9,000 patients.
After 1974, "almost 3,000" patients were treated for ocular (eye) diseases.
By the time the lab closed in 2002, its proton therapy treatments had been transferred to The ''Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center''
(then the ''Northeast Proton Therapy Center'') at Massachusetts General Hospital.
See also
*
List of accelerators in particle physics
A list of particle accelerators used for particle physics experiments. Some early particle accelerators that more properly did nuclear physics, but existed prior to the separation of particle physics from that field, are also included. Although a m ...
References
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Harvard University
Laboratories in the United States
Medical research institutes in the United States
Nuclear medicine organizations
Research institutes in Massachusetts
Research institutes established in 1949
1949 establishments in Massachusetts
2002 disestablishments in Massachusetts
Medical and health organizations based in Massachusetts