Gabriel O. Sawakuchi, Ph.D.
Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology
Present Title & Affiliation
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Regular Faculty Member, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas, Houston, TX
Research Interests
The Sawakuchi Lab currently focuses on the study of of DNA damage response induced by radiation and to develop innovative radiation detection technologies for applications in radiation therapy and radiation biology research. Here you can find more information about my research.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2007 | Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA, PhD, Physics |
| 2003 | University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, BRA, MS, Physics |
| 2001 | University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, BRA, BS, Physics |
Board Certifications
| 2017 | American Board of Radiology |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Physics - Patient Care, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2019
Adjunct Professor, Department of Physics, Carleton University, Ottawa, 2013 - 2017
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Carleton University, Ottawa, 2010 - 2013
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Visiting Scholar, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 2003 - 2003
Honors & Awards
| 2014 | HPC Innovation Excellence Award, IDC |
| 2012 | One of the 20 best referees for the Physics in Medicine and Biology Journal, Phys Med Biol |
| 2012 | Early Career Researcher Supplement Award, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada |
| 2011 | One of the 20 best referees for the Physics in Medicine and Biology Journal, Phys Med Biol |
| 2005 | NASA Space Radiation Summer School Award, NASA |
| 2004 | International School on Radiation Effects in Solids Travel Award |
| 2002 | Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Master of Science Scholarship, FAPESP |
| 1999 | Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Undergraduate Scholarship, FAPESP |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Bright SJ, Flint DB, Chakraborty S, McFadden CH, Yoon DS, Amiji H, Bronk L, Titt U, Mohan R, Grosshans DR, Sumazin P, Shaitelman SF, Asaithamby A and Sawakuchi GO. Non-homologous end joining is more important than proton linear energy transfer in dictating cell death. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 105:1119-1125, 2019. PMID: 31425731.
- Steinmann A, Alvarez P, Lee H, Stafford R, Sawakuchi GO, Wen Z, Court L, Fuller C, Followill D. MRgRT Thorax Anthropomorphic QA Phantom: Design, Development, Commissioning and Feasibility Study. Med Phys 46:5124-5133, 2019. PMID: 31506963.
- Bergom C, West CM, Higginson DS, Abazeed ME, Arun B, Bentzen SM, Bernstein JL, Evans JD, Gerber NK, Kerns SL, Keen J, Litton JK, Reiner AS, Riaz N, Rosenstein BS, Sawakuchi GO, Shaitelman SF, Powell SN, Woodward WA. The Implications of Genetic Testing on Radiation Therapy Decisions: A Guide for Radiation Oncologists. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 105:698-712, 2019. PMID: 31381960.
- Steinmann A, O'Brien D, Stafford R, Sawakuchi G, Wen Z, Court L, Fuller C, Followill D. Investigation of TLD and EBT3 performance under the presence of 1.5T, 0.35T, and 0T magnetic field strengths in MR/CT visible materials. Med Phys 46(7):3217-3226, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30950071.
- Thompson JM, Elliott A, D'Abrantes S, Sawakuchi GO, Hill MA. Tracking down alpha-particles: the design, characterisation and testing of a shallow-angled alpha-particle irradiator. Radiat Prot Dosimetry 183(1-2):264-269, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30726978.
- Fujimoto TN, Colbert LE, Huang Y, Molkentine JM, Deorukhkar A, Baseler L, de la Cruz Bonilla , Yu M, Lin D, Gupta S, Cabeceiras PK, Kingsley CV, Tailor RC, Sawakuchi GO, Koay EJ, Piwnica-Worms H, Maitra A, Taniguchi CM. Selective EGLN Inhibition Enables Ablative Radiotherapy and Improves Survival in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Res 79(9):2372338, 2019. PMID: 31043430.
- Colbert LE, Rebueno N, Moningi S, Beddar S, Sawakuchi GO, Herman JM, Koong AC, Das P, Holliday EB, Koay EJ, Taniguchi CM. Dose Escalation for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: How High Can We Go?. Adv Radiat Oncol 3(4):693-700, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30370371.
- Grosshans DR, Duman JG, Gaber M, Sawakuchi GO. Particle Radiation Induced Neurotoxicity in the Central Nervous System. Int J Particle Ther 5(1):74-83, 2018.
- Steinmann A, Stafford RJ, Sawakuchi GO, Wen Z, Court L, Fuller CD, Followill D. Developing and characterizing MR/CT visible materials used in QA phantoms for MRgRT systems. Med Phys 45(2):773-782, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29178486.
- O'Brien DJ, Dolan J, Pencea S, Schupp N, Sawakuchi GO. Relative dosimetry with an MR-linac: Response of ion chambers, diamond, and diode detectors for off-axis, depth dose, and output factor measurements. Med Phys 45(2):884-897, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29178457.
- O'Brien DJ, Sawakuchi GO. Monte Carlo study of the chamber-phantom air gap effect in a magnetic field. Med Phys 44(7):3830-3838, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28432792.
- O'Brien DJ, Schupp N, Pencea S, Dolan J, Sawakuchi GO. Dosimetry in the presence of strong magnetic fields. J Phys Conf Ser 847:012055, 2017.
- Underwood T, Sung W, McFadden C, McMahon S, Hall D McNamara A, Paganetti H, Sawakuchi GO, Schuemann J. Comparing stochastic proton interactions simulated using TOPAS-nBio to experimental data from fluorescent nuclear track detectors. Phys Med Biol 62:3237-3249, 2017. PMID: 28350546.
- Chadha AS, Liu G, Chen HC, Das P, Minsky BD, Mahmood U, Delclos ME, Suh Y, Sawakuchi GO, Beddar S, Katz MH, Fleming JB, Javle MM, Varadhachary GR, Wolff RA, Crane CH, Wang X, Thames H, Krishnan S. Does unintentional splenic radiation predict severe lymphopenia following pancreatic cancer radiotherapy?. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 97(2):323-332, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28068240.
- McFadden CH, Hallacy TM, Flint DB, Granville DA, Asaithamby A, Sahoo N, Akselrod MS, Sawakuchi GO. Time-lapse monitoring of DNA damage co-localized with particle tracks in single living cells. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 96(1):221-227, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27511858.
- O'Brien DJ, Roberts DA, Ibbott GS, Sawakuchi GO. Reference dosimetry in magnetic fields: Formalism and ionization chamber correction factors. Med Phys 43(8):4915-4927, 2016. PMID: 27487908.
- Sawakuchi GO, Ferreira FA, McFadden CH, Hallacy TM, Granville DA, Sahoo N, Akselrod MS. Nanoscale measurements of proton tracks using fluorescent nuclear track detectors. Med Phys 43(5):2485-2490, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27147359.
- Flint DB, Granville DA, Sahoo N, McEwen M, Sawakuchi GO. Ionization density dependence of the OSL curve shape and ratio of UV to blue emissions for Al2O3:C detectors exposed to 6 MV photon and therapeutic proton beams. Radiat Meas 89:35-43, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Granville DA, Sahoo N, Sawakuchi GO. Simultaneous measurements of absorbed dose and linear energy transfer in therapeutic proton beams. Phys Med Biol 61:1765-1779, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26859539.
- Krishnan S, Chadha AS, Suh Y, Das P, Minsky BD, Mahmood U, Delclos ME, Sawakuchi GO, Beddar S, Katz MH, Fleming JB, Javle MM, Varadhachary JR, Wolff RA, Crane CH. Focal radiotherapy dose escalation improves overall survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients receiving induction chemotherapy and consolidative chemoradiation. Int J Radiat Onc Biol Phys 94(4):755-765, 2016. e-Pub 2015.
- Granville DA and Sawakuchi GO. Comparison of linear energy transfer scoring techniques in Monte Carlo simulations of proton beams. Phys Med Biol 60:N283-N291, 2015. PMID: 26147442.
- Zhu XR, Poenisch F, Lii M, Sawakuchi GO, Titt U, Bues M, Song X, Zhang X, Li Y, Ciangaru G, Li H, Taylor MB, Suzuki K, Mohan R, Gillin MT, Sahoo N. Commissioning dose computation models for spot scanning proton beams in water for a commercially available treatment planning system. Med Phys 40(4):041723, 2013. PMID: 23556893.
- Derveni M, Allen M, Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG, Richter L, Sims MR, Cullen DC. Survivability of immunoassay reagents exposed to the space radiation environment onboard the ESA BIOPAN-6 platform as a prelude to performing immunoassays on Mars. Astrobiology 13(1):92-102, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23286207.
- Omotayo AA, Cygler JE, Sawakuchi GO. The effect of different bleaching wavelengths on the sensitivity of Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence detectors (OSLDs) exposed to 6 MV photon beams. Med Phys 39(9):5457-68, 2012. PMID: 22957613.
- Anand A, Sahoo N, Zhu XR, Sawakuchi GO, Poenisch F, Amos RA, Ciangaru G, Titt U, Suzuki K, Mohan R, Gillin MT. A procedure to determine the planar integral spot dose values of proton pencil beam spots. Med Phys 39(2):891-900, 2012. PMID: 22320798.
- Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG. Analytical modeling of relative luminescence efficiency of Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence detectors exposed to high-energy heavy charged particles. Phys Med Biol 57(2):437-54, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22173080.
- Bartz JA, Sykora GJ, Underwood TH, Nichiporov DN, Sawakuchi GO, Akselrod MS. Evaluation of aluminum oxide fluorescent and OSL detectors in proton radiotherapy beams. Radiat Meas 46:1974-1978, 2011.
- Perles LA, Mirkovic D, Sawakuchi GO, Titt U. Monte Carlo investigation of rebinning material density distributions of lung parenchyma phantoms in proton therapy. Nucl Tech 175:22-26, 2011.
- Titt U, Mirkovic D, Sawakuchi GO, Perles LA, Newhauser WD, Taddei PJ, Mohan R. Adjustment of the lateral and longitudinal size of scanned proton beam spots using a pre-absorber to optimize penumbrae and delivery efficiency. Phys Med Biol 55(23):7097-106, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21076194.
- Sawakuchi GO, Mirkovic D, Perles LA, Sahoo N, Zhu XR, Ciangaru G, Suzuki K, Gillin MT, Mohan R, Titt U. An MCNPX Monte Carlo model of a discrete spot scanning proton beam therapy nozzle. Med Phys 37(9):4960-70, 2010. PMID: 20964215.
- Sawakuchi GO, Sahoo N, Gasparian PB, Rodriguez MG, Archambault L, Titt U, Yukihara EG. Determination of average LET of therapeutic proton beams using Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) detectors. Phys Med Biol 55(17):4963-76, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20693613.
- Sawakuchi GO, Zhu XR, Poenisch F, Suzuki K, Ciangaru G, Titt U, Anand A, Mohan R, Gillin MT, Sahoo N. Experimental characterization of the low-dose envelope of spot scanning proton beams. Phys Med Biol 55(12):3467-78, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20508318.
- Sawakuchi GO, Titt U, Mirkovic D, Ciangaru G, Zhu XR, Sahoo N, Gillin MT, Mohan R. Monte Carlo investigation of the low-dose envelope from scanned proton pencil beams. Phys Med Biol 55(3):711-721, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20071752.
- Yukihara EG, Gasparian PBR, Sawakuchi GO, Ruan C, Ahmad S, Kalavagunta C, Clouse WJ, Sahoo N, Titt U. Medical applications of optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs). Radiat Meas 45:658-662, 2010.
- Gillin MT, Sahoo N, Bues M, Ciangaru G, Sawakuchi GO, Poenisch F, Arjomandy B, Martin C, Titt U, Suzuki K, Smith AR, Zhu XR. Commissioning of the discrete spot scanning proton beam delivery system at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Proton Therapy Center, Houston. Med Phys 37(1):154-63, 2010. PMID: 20175477.
- Ciangaru G, Sahoo N, Zhu XR, Sawakuchi GO, Gillin MT. Computation of doses for large-angle Coulomb scattering of proton pencil beams. Phys Med Biol 54(24):7285-7300, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19926912.
- Reitz G, Berger T, Bilski P, Facius R, Hajek M, Petrov V, Puchalska M, Zhou D, Bossler J, Akatov Y, Shurshakov V, Olko P, Ptaszkiewicz M, Bergmann R, Fugger M, Vana N, Beaujean R, Burmeister S, Bartlett D, Hager L, Pálfalvi J, Szabó J, O'Sullivan D, Kitamura H, Uchihori Y, Yasuda N, Nagamatsu A, Tawara H, Benton E, Gaza R, McKeever S, Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara E, Cucinotta F, Semones E, Zapp N, Miller J, Dettmann J. Astronaut's organ doses inferred from measurements in a human phantom outside the international space station. Radiat Res 171(2):225-35, 2009. PMID: 19267549.
- Sawakuchi GO, Titt U, Mirkovic D, Mohan R. Density heterogeneities and the influence of multiple Coulomb and nuclear scatterings on the Bragg peak distal edge of proton therapy beams. Phys Med Biol 53(17):4605-19, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18678928.
- Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG, McKeever SWS, Gaza R, Benton ER, Uchihori Y, Yasuda N, Kitamura H. Relative optically stimulated luminescence and thermoluminescence efficiencies of Al2O3:C dosimeters to heavy charged particles with energies relevant to space and radiotherapy dosimetry. J Appl Phys 104:124903, 2008.
- Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG, McKeever SWS, Benton. Overlap of heavy charged particle tracks and the change in shape of optically stimulated luminescence curves of Al2O3:C. Radiat Meas 43:194-198, 2008.
- Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG, McKeever SWS, Benton ER. Optically stimulated luminescence fluence response of Al2O3:C. Radiat Meas 43:450-454, 2008.
- Vanhavere F, Genicot JL, O'Sullivan D, Sawakuchi GO, Spurny F, Yukihara EG, Zhou D. Dosimetry of biological experiments in space (DOBIES) with luminescence (OSL and TL) and track detectors. Radiat Meas 43:694-697, 2008.
- Edmund JM, Anderson CE, Greilich S, Sawakuchi GO, Yukihara EG, Jain M, Hajdas W, Mattson S. Optically stimulated luminescence from Al2O3:C irradiated with 10-60 MeV protons. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 580:210-213, 2007.
- Yukihara EG, Sawakuchi GO, Guduru S, McKeever SWS, Gaza R, Benton ER. Application of the optically stimulated luminescence technique in space dosimetry. Radiat Meas 41:1126-1135, 2006.
- Sawakuchi GO, Okuno E. The role of aluminum and titanium in the point defects of gamma irradiated natural quartz. Phys Stat Sol (c) 2:588-591, 2005.
- Sawakuchi GO, Okuno E. Effects of high gamma ray doses in quartz. Nucl Instrum Meth Phys Res B 218:217-221, 2004.
- Steinmann A, O'Brien D, Stafford R, Sawakuchi GO, Wen Z, Court L, Fuller C, Followill D. Characterization and validation of TLD and Radiochromic EBT3 film under the present of 1.5T, 0.35T and 0T magnetic field strengths in MR/CT visible materials. Med Phys.
- Steinmann A, Alvarez P, Lee H, Court L, Stafford R, Sawakuchi GO, Wen Z, Fuller C, Followill D. MRgRT Head and Neck Anthropomorphic QA Phantom: Design, Development, Commissioning and Feasibility Study. Med Phys.
- Granville DA, Sahoo N, Sawakuchi GO. Calibration of the Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal for linear energy transfer (LET) measurements in therapeutic proton beams. Phys Med Biol 59(15):4295-4310. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25029434.
- Granville DA, Sahoo N and Sawakuchi GO. Linear energy transfer dependence of Al2O3:C optically stimulated luminescence detectors exposed to therapeutic proton beams. Radiat Meas 71:69-73. e-Pub 2014.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Startup funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Synaptic mechanisms of cognitive decline after cranial radiation |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | (PQ 9) Synaptic basis of deficits in attention and executive function following cranial radiation |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Real-time volumetric scintillation dosimetry for radiation therapy |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | PQ9) Directed and unbiased studies of synaptic injuries as sequelae of radiotherapy: mapping, sex-dependence, and reversal |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Towards dosimetric commissioning and clinical implementation of 2ATL |
| Funding Source: | Elekta |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Exploiting DNA repair defects using intensity modulated proton therapy |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Exploiting hadron therapy differential DNA damage for radioprotection and radiosensitization |
| Funding Source: | Department of Radiation Oncology, UT Southwestern Medical Center |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Effect of radiotherapy-induced DNA damage on cardiomyocyte turnover |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |