Leading the project that could revolutionise Computed Tomography

1Micron is the flagship project funded by the EU’s EIC Pathfinder Open programme to develop an ultra-high resolution X-ray sensor for real-time detection of cancer margins in surgical procedures. If successful, the project could revolutionise current pathology and imaging. Moa Yveborg Tamm is coordinating the research, which is being carried out by researchers in three countries. Moa is returning to academia after several years working in industry at GE Healthcare.

Hi Moa, what are you up to right now?

“We have just started creating the project, which is based on the participation of several partners. Now it’s about getting everyone into 1Micron and we have a kick-off already on 22 May. Then everyone will meet together for the first time, and we can start discussing the technical aspects together. At this stage, you don’t know how much control is needed, it will only become clearer when the discussion on deliverables, decisions and forms of cooperation is actively pursued.”

How many people are actually involved in 1Micron?

“In addition to Mats Danielsson and Mats Persson from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Johan Hartman from KI, the Italian nuclear physics institute INFN, the University of Trento and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are involved. In addition, there are industrial partners such as Prismatics Sensors AB. Our partners are a key to the success we hope for. For example, the medical researchers are helping with validation so that we can understand how and in what way the new sensor we will develop can make a difference in clinical applications.”

The interdisciplinary nature of the project and its industrial links make it complex?

“Yes, and here I feel it is good that I have learnt what it is like to work interdisciplinary and in industry. In my experience, it is often necessary to have a systems approach right from the start. It sets some of the framework for how you need to rig the project and the importance of not locking yourself into a solution that is not scalable early on. It’s okay not to have all the answers from the start, as long as you have really good people involved in the project. Which we do.”

It still sounds like a tough assignment, why did you take it?

“Why did you take it? ‘It’s a super fun project, something that could revolutionise medical imaging. A bit like what we’ve done before with the development of the first photon-counting CT with silicon detectors, but still completely new. There is the potential to do something amazing and with very exciting technology. Plus, I get to work with really good partners who know their fields. I would say that we put together the perfect team with 1Micron!”

And what happens after the kick-off on 22 May?

“We have already started working towards the deliverables we have set up, but now the work is intensifying. A key piece is the sensor design and showing how it can achieve the phase contrast we are aiming for, in real time. One of the early specifications will revolve around this, along with the other hardware needed to enable phase contrast. Another thing that will happen this year is that Karolinska Institutet and TUM will provide us with a baseline to compare against, by collating how well current digital detectors perform.”

What are you most looking forward to in the project?

“I think I’m looking forward to being part of the biggest thing to happen in medical imaging in a long time. It will of course be a challenge, but we have physics on our side and a hand-picked team, which also gives us really good odds. What I also appreciate is that we have a partner from industry who knows a lot about the technical requirements of what will then be out in the hospitals. An ‘insider’, you might say. You don’t always have that in academic research projects, and it’s also something that suggests that 1Micron can achieve its goals.”

Read more about the project on the 1MICRON website