The aim of BASROC is to build a complete hadron therapy facility using a novel accelerator technology called a Non-Scaling Fixed Field Alternating Gradient synchrotron (NS-FFAG). These combine many of the important features of the two types of accelerator currently used, the cyclotron and the synchrotron.

An IBA Proteus 235 cyclotron. About half of the world's proton therapy centres use these machines.

In particular, they have the intensity and ease of use characteristics of cyclotrons.......

.......and the beam control, variable energy possibilities and ability to accelerate beams of protons and heavy ions to the appropriate energy of synchrotrons.

The synchrotron used for proton therapy at the Loma Linda Medical Centre.

We hope to build the facility in three stages:

EMMA: The Electron Model of Many Applications will be a 20MeV electron accelerator. It will be an entirely experimental machine used to learn how to design NS-FFAGs for a variety of applications, including hadron therapy. It will be built at the CCLRC Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire and will use an experimental facility under construction there to provide the beam, the ERLP.

PAMELA: The Particle Accelerator for Medical Applications will be a 70-100MeV proton NS-FFAG. It will be a prototype to demonstrate that the potential of NS-FFAGs can be realised in practice for hadron therapy. It is planned to construct it in a new building on the Churchill Hospital site in Oxford being built for the Department of Radiation Oncology and Biology. It will also be used to strengthen the case for hadron therapy.

Complete facility: This will be a complete facility for the treatment of patients using hadron beams (we hope!!!).