Julianna Bronk

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Julianna Bronk is a rising leader in proton therapy and FLASH radiation research, whose work is reshaping how preclinical studies model ultra-high dose rate treatments. Her primary focus lies in advancing proton FLASH radiotherapy—a technique that delivers radiation in milliseconds to spare healthy tissue while destroying tumors—and in developing innovative delivery systems to overcome the field’s technical limitations. In her most-cited paper, "Mimicking large spot‑scanning radiation fields for proton FLASH preclinical studies with a robotic motion platform" (2024, 4 citations), Bronk and her team engineered a strategy to expand effective radiation field sizes using a synchrotron-based horizontal proton beamline. By integrating a robotic motion platform, they enabled larger, clinically relevant FLASH fields for small-animal models—a critical step toward translating FLASH therapy from bench to bedside. This work builds on her earlier contributions to commissioning proton beams for both FLASH and conventional dose rates, demonstrating her ability to bridge physics and biology. Bronk’s impact, though early in her career, is already evident in the growing citation of her methods, which are becoming foundational for researchers seeking to replicate FLASH effects in vivo. Her achievements highlight a rare combination of technical ingenuity and translational vision, positioning her as a key voice in the next generation of radiation oncology innovators.