The FLASH-CARE project, with participation of IMB-CNM, receives a CaixaImpulse grant (phase 2) for Innovation in Health
The University of Santiago de Compostela leads the FLASH-CARE project. The IMB-CNM and the Institut Curie of France complete the consortium
Main image (from left to right): Raúl Yáñez, representing USC, Consuelo Guardiola and Celeste Fleta.
The project FLASH-CARE, with participation of the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM, CSIC) through researchers Consuelo Guardiola and Celeste Fleta, has been selected in the CaixaImpulse Call Phase 2 of Health Innovation, from the ”la Caixa” Foundation, aimed at promoting the transfer and development of innovations with potential health impact.
The consortium is led by Faustino Gómez of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), and also includes the Institut Curie (France), with Sophie Heinrich. The objective is to advance the development and transfer of medical technology designed to improve the reliability of electron treatments under FLASH conditions. The initiative has been selected in phase 2 of the program, which corresponds to projects with a higher degree of maturity. It is the only project with CSIC participation selected in this phase.
From DOSIFLASH to FLASH-CARE
In 2023, the ”la Caixa” Foundation funded the DOSIFLASH project, led by Consuelo Guardiola (of the Radiation Detectors Group, RDG, at IMB-CNM), with nearly one million euros. The objective was to develop a system capable of monitoring the doses administered during FLASH radiotherapy, an emerging cancer treatment modality that delivers high doses of radiation in fractions of a second. This characteristic can reduce damage to healthy tissues near the tumor, but it poses significant technological challenges for accurately measuring the administered radiation and ensuring treatment safety.
Within this framework, the team designed and manufactured silicon carbide (SiC)-based microdetectors capable of operating under the ultrafast dose rates of FLASH radiotherapy. Compared to conventional dosimeters, which can become saturated or damaged under these extreme conditions, silicon carbide offers high radiation resistance and is a more economical alternative to diamond-based technologies.
Now, FLASH-CARE: Improving Safety and Reliability in Advanced Cancer Treatment is advancing this technology and combining it with another developed by USC. On one hand, it uses silicon carbide technology, and on the other, ultrathin ionization chambers; both validated in the preclinical phase. The project uses these to develop a comprehensive dosimetry and quality control platform. The system would be designed to encompass both conventional and FLASH radiotherapy and would be capable of high-resolution beam characterization and UHDR (ultrafast dose rate) measurements of each "shot" with temporal resolution. In other words, it would simplify measurements that currently require multiple detectors by creating a hybrid sensor system with the ambition of achieving a robust dosimetry system. Subsequently, the technology is expected to be validated in conventional accelerators, research hospitals, or preclinical FLASH radiotherapy facilities.
A call to boost innovation in healthcare
The CaixaImpulse Health Innovation Call supports biomedical research and innovation projects with the potential to advance toward application and generate an impact on health. In this edition, the program has awarded €3.96 million to 30 projects from Spain and Portugal, distributed among the areas of therapeutics and medical technology, and digital health. The call received 449 proposals. The selection of FLASH-CARE occurred in the phase with the lowest success rate. Phase 2 received 193 proposals, and only 3.6% of the total were selected.
The program aims to promote the transfer of research results to the healthcare sector and support the development of innovations at different stages of maturity, from initial phases to projects closer to application. The selection process is structured in three phases according to the stage of development of each proposal and combines a scientific and innovation evaluation with a subsequent interview phase. In 2026, 134 experts participated, with at least three evaluators per project, before the final selection of projects funded by the "la Caixa" Foundation.
