Francisco Aguirre, M.S.
Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology - Clinical
About Dr. Aguirre
The goal of the proposed research is to assure the National Cancer Institute and the cooperative study groups that the radiation doses delivered to clinical trial patients is accurate with minimal uncertainty. I have the experience, expertise, leadership and motivation necessary to successfully carry out my responsibilities as part of a team that will complete the proposed work. I have a broad background in physics, with specific training and expertise in the area of quality assurance in radiotherapy, audit visits, assessment of institutions, problem solving and clinical radiation therapy. As part of the team for this grant for the previous 25 years as well as a consultant for the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health organization I have carried more than 175 visits to institutions within the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. I have also been part of evaluation panels to investigate accidents, formulate guidelines and policies in radiotherapy quality assurance and development of radiotherapy projects. As part of my extramural activities I have been and continue to be a member of the Radiation Physics Committee of ASTRO and the Radiological Physics center representative to the radiotherapy committees of CALGB and SWOG. I have also been a member of AAPM task groups dealing with radiotherapy issues. I have teaching responsibilities within the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as the coordinator of the IAEA training program for international fellows and have been and continue to be Co-Director of an IAEA international course in quality assurance in medical physics at the Argonne National laboratory in Illinois. Among the main areas of activity for this grant I am responsible for the quality program of the mailed TLD dosimetry program anf for the commissioning of the OSL dosimetry program. I am also responsible for the quality of the instrument calibration and dosimetry within the MDACC Accredited Dosimetry Calibratiion Laboratory. I am also dedicating efforts to the design of an automatic 2 1/2 scanning system customized to the needs of the RPC during audit visits.
In summary, I have a demonstrated record of successful and productive activities within the area of activity of our grant, and my expertise and experience are significant for the proposed project.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Senior Medical Physicist, Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
1973 | State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA, MS, Physics |
1966 | Universidad de El Salvador, San Salvador, SLV, BS, Civil Engineering |
Board Certifications
1997 | American Board of Radiology, Therapeutic Radiological Physics |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Assistant Director, Radilogical Physics Center, Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1990 - 2008
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Quality Control Officer, U.T.M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Accredited Dosimetry Calibration Laboratory, Houston, TX, 1988 - 2013
Consultantships
Consultant, Cancer and Acute Leukemia Group B, Houston, TX 77030, 1991 - Present
Consultant, Southwest Oncology Group, Houston, TX 77030, 1988 - 2012
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Klein EE, Hanley J, Bayouth J, Yin FF, Simon W, Dresser S, Serago C, Aguirre F, Ma L, Arjomandy B, Liu C, Sandin C, Holmes T. Task Group 142 Report: Quality Assurance of Medical Accelerators. Med Phys 36(9):4197-4212, 2009. PMID: 19810494.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- Aguirre JF. Comprehensive Audits of Radiotherapy Practices: A Tool for Quality Improvement. Quality Assurance Team in Radiation Oncology (QUATRO): Vienna, Austria, 2007.
- Aguirre JF. Physical aspects of quality assurance in radiotherapy recommendation from a panel of experts from the IAEA within the activiation of the Regional Program ARCAL XXX (IAEA TECDOC 1151), 2000.
- Aguirre JF. Prevention of potential exposures in radiotherapy. International Atomic Energy Agency sub-regional workshop, 2000.
- Aguirre JF. TLD procedures for the dosimetry laboratory, North Carolina Memorial Hospital, 1981.
- Aguirre JF. Hand dose in physicists during special procedures of catheterization and nephrostomy, North Carolina Memorial Hospital, 1981.
- Aguirre JF. Absorbed skin dose in patient with I-125 implants. Technical Report, North Carolina Memorial Hospital, 1981.
- Aguirre JF. Exposure to patients during CT procedures. Technical report, 1980.
- Aguirre JF. Infrared radiation in the near infrared region. Graduate work for the Master's Degree, 1973.
Other Articles
- Aguirre JF TLD as a tool for remote verification of output, 2000.
Abstracts
- Aguirre J, Alvarez P, Followill D, Ibbott G, Amador C, Tailor A. Optically Stimulated Light Dosimetry: Commissioning of an Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) System for Remote Dosimetry Audits, the Radiological Physics Center Experience. Med Phys 36(6):2591-92, 2009.
- Homnick J, Ibbott G, Springer A, Aguirre F. OSL Dosimeters can be used for Remote Dosimetry. Int J of Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(1):S672-3, 2008.
- Followill D, Molineu A, Lowenstein J, Alvarez P, Aguirre J, Ibbott G. Quality Audits of the Calibration for TG-51 Non-compliant Beams by the Radiological Physics Center. Med Phys 35(6):2774, 2008.
- Balter, PA, Aguirre, JF, Hanson, WF. Practical Considerations for the Calibration of Low Energy/Low Activity Seeds. Proceedings of the 2000 World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering TH-FXH-15, IEEE, 2000.
- Tailor, RC, Aguirre, JF, Hanson, WF. RPC experience with TLD for output and energy monitoring of radiation-therapy beams. Medical Physics 26:1164, 1999.
Book Chapters
- Wambersie, A, Poetter R, Dinshaw D, Aguirre JF, Arias, C, Bottenfield S. Programme Performance Assessment System (PPAS) Joint PPAS & Technical Co-operation Evaluation Report of Subprogramme E.2. In: Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy Activities, International Atomic Energy Agency, 1999.
Grant & Contract Support
Title: | |
Funding Source: | NIH |
Role: | Co-Investigator |