Accelerator Physics – Grüner

Prof. Dr. Florian Grüner

Our research group is active in 2 fields:

• laser plasma accelerators and applications like biomedical imaging, using both laser-based sources and synchrotrons
• laboratory astrophysics within the frame of the Quantum Universe Cluster of Excellence

For details please see Research

Laser plasma acceleration

We cooperate with various groups in the field of laser-plasma wakefield-accelerators with a special focus on direct applications, in particular for biomedical imaging. This includes both experimental and theoretical work in order to pave they way for first real-world applications.

Medical imaging

Our medical imaging work focuses on X-Ray fluorescence imaging (XFI). In this field we have achieved an important breakthrough, as previously it was not generally possible to use XFI for large objects such as human beings. The reason for this is that, although the radiated X-Ray photons can cause fluorescence in, for example, gold nanoparticles, they scatter in the object itself (Compton effect). This Compton scattering is so strong in large objects that the expected signals from the X-Ray fluorescence cannot be measured. Using our method (spatial filtering with an algorithm), it is now possible, in principle, to perform XFI on all medically relevant objects.

Our aim is to make important contributions to science through both fields of research, especially for medical applications where new imaging methods can lead to new insights into the cause of certain diseases. We work intensively on pilot studies in close cooperation with the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

Open Positions

Our team always welcomes interested students who would like to work with us on possible bachelor’s and/or master’s theses, as well as doctoral dissertations, or as a research assistant in the fields of our research.
Please contact us by mail with a short description of the lectures/seminars/proseminars that you have already visited and a short motivation letter. If there is a match and if our team has open supervision capacities, we will then come back to you for setting up a meeting to discuss first suggestions on possible subjects.