Yana Zlateva, Ph.D., DABR
Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Physics - Patient Care, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2019 | McGill University, Montreal, CA, Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D |
| 2014 | McGill University, Montreal, CA, Medical Physics (CAMPEP), M.S |
| 2011 | Concordia University, Montreal, CA, Biophysics, B.S |
Postgraduate Training
| 2019-2021 | Clinical Residency, Medical Physics (CAMPEP), Duke University, Durham, North Carolina |
Board Certifications
| 2022 | American Board of Radiology (DABR) Board Certification in Therapeutic Medical Physics |
Experience & Service
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Nomenclature Committee, Radiation Oncology, 2024 - Present
Organizer, CNS/Pediatric Physics Journal Club, Radiation Oncology, 2024 - Present
Member, Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM) Working Group, Radiation Oncology, 2024 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2019 | Second Place Rising Stars Competition, Chemical Rubber Company Press, McGill University (CRC Press) |
| 2019 | Editor’s Choice Paper, Medical Physics Journal |
| 2018 | First Place Poster at Annual Meeting, Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) |
| 2018 | Science Highlights at Annual Meeting, American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) |
| 2016 - 2017 | Young Investigator Symposium Finalist, Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) |
| 2015 | Young Investigator Symposium Finalist, International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) |
| 2015 | Best in Physics (Therapy) Award at Annual Meeting, American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) |
| 2014 | Basic Science Abstract Award at Annual Meeting, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) |
| 2014 - 2019 | CREATE - Medical Physics Research Training Network Scholarship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), McGill University |
| 2014 - 2016 | Doctoral Research Scholarship, Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQNT) |
| 2014 | Junior Investigator Award, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) |
| 2013 | Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) Meeting Student Grant Award, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) |
| 2013 - 2015 | CREATE - Integrated Sensor Systems Scholarship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), McGill University |
| 2011 | Graduate Excellence Fellowship, McGill University |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Cullom ET, Xia Y, Chuang KC, Gude ZW, Zlateva Y, Adamson JD, Giles WM. Single isocenter SRS using CAVMAT offers improved robustness to commissioning and treatment delivery uncertainty compared to VMAT. J Appl Clin Med Phys 22(7):36-43, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34165217.
- Zlateva Y, Muir BR, El Naqa I, Seuntjens J. Step-size effect on calculated photon and electron beam Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors. Phys Med 78:32-37, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32916557.
- Xia Y, Adamson J, Zlateva Y, Giles W. Application of TG-218 action limits to SRS and SBRT pre-treatment patient specific QA. J Radiosurg SBRT 7(2):135-147, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33282467.
- Zlateva Y, Muir BR, El Naqa I, Seuntjens JP. Cherenkov emission-based external radiotherapy dosimetry: I. Formalism and feasibility. Med Phys 46(5):2370-2382, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31034637.
- Zlateva Y, Muir BR, Seuntjens JP, El Naqa I. Cherenkov emission-based external radiotherapy dosimetry: II. Electron beam quality specification and uncertainties. Med Phys 46(5):2383-2393, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30706493.
- Li R, Lassen J, Teigelhöfer A, Lavoie JP, Bricault P, Chackakova O, Meissner J, Zlateva Y. Resonant Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) off-line developments on Ga, Al and Ca. Nucl Instr Meth B 308:74-79, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Zlateva, Y, El Naqa, I, Quitoriano, N. WE‐G‐500‐05: Red Spectral Shift of Cherenkov Emission with Applications in Image-Guided and Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy. Med Phys 40(6):504, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Abstracts
- Zlateva Y, Muir B, El Naqa I, Seuntjens J. Geometry optimization and optical sectioning for in- water Cherenkov dosimetry of large and small photon beams. Med Phys 48(6):e231, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Cullom E, Gude Z, Xia Y, Chuang K, Zlateva Y, Kirkpatrick J, Yin F, Adamson J, Giles W. Robust Treatment Planning with Conformal Arc Informed VMAT (CAVMAT). Med Phys 47(6):e373, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Zlateva Y, Muir B, El Naqa I, Seuntjens J. Cerenkov emission-based dosimetry is a promising perturbation-free technique. Radiother Oncol 133(146):7, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Zlateva Y, Muir B, El Naqa I, Seuntjens J. Laying the groundwork for accurate Cherenkov emission-based electron beam dosimetry. Radioth Oncol 129(Suppl 1):S21, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Zlateva Y, El Naqa I, Seuntjens J. Cherenkov emission-based photon and electron beam dosimetry. Med Phys 45(6):e630, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Zlateva Y, Seuntjens J, El Naqa I. Cherenkov dosimetry via directional Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors: Monte Carlo protocol and experimental feasibility. Med Phys 44(8):4369-4370, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Zlateva Y, Seuntjens J, El Naqa I. Cherenkov Dosimetry Via Stopping-To-Cherenkov Power Ratios: Protocol and Experimental Feasibility. Med Phys 44(6):2996, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Zlateva Y, Seuntjens J, Naqa E. SU-C-201-07: Towards Clinical Cherenkov Emission Dosimetry: Stopping Power-To-Cherenkov Power Ratios and Beam Quality Specification of Clinical Electron Beams. Med Phys 43(6):3317, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Zlateva Y, El Naga I. MO-FG-303-02: BEST IN PHYSICS (THERAPY): Cherenkov Emission Dosimetry: Feasibility for Electron Radiotherapy. Med Phys 42(6), 2015. e-Pub 2015.
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2023. Clear Vision: Image Guidance for Treatment Verification. Conference. Clear Vision: Image Guidance for Treatment Verification. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. Geometry Optimization and Optical Sectioning for In-Water Cherenkov Dosimetry of Large and Small Photon Beams. Conference. Geometry Optimization and Optical Sectioning for In-Water Cherenkov Dosimetry of Large and Small Photon Beams. Virtual, US.
- 2020. Robust Treatment Planning with Conformal Arc Informed VMAT (CAVMAT). Conference. Robust Treatment Planning with Conformal Arc Informed VMAT (CAVMAT). Virtual, US.
- 2020. A study of using modulation complexity score as a clinical decision aid for VMAT-based pancreas SBRT treatment planning. Conference. A study of using modulation complexity score as a clinical decision aid for VMAT-based pancreas SBRT treatment planning. Virtual, US.
- 2020. Step-size dependence of Monte Carlo simulations for Cherenkov emission (CE)-based dosimetry calculations. Conference. Step-size dependence of Monte Carlo simulations for Cherenkov emission (CE)-based dosimetry calculations. Virtual, US.
- 2018. Cherenkov emission-based photon and electron beam dosimetry. Conference. Cherenkov emission-based photon and electron beam dosimetry. Nashville, Tennessee, US.
- 2017. Cherenkov dosimetry via stopping-to-Cherenkov power ratios: Protocol and experimental feasibility. Conference. Cherenkov dosimetry via stopping-to-Cherenkov power ratios: Protocol and experimental feasibility. Denver, Colorado, US.
- 2016. Towards clinical Cherenkov emission dosimetry: Stopping power‐to‐Cherenkov power ratios and beam quality specification of clinical electron beams. Conference. Towards clinical Cherenkov emission dosimetry: Stopping power‐to‐Cherenkov power ratios and beam quality specification of clinical electron beams. Washington, DC, US.
- 2015. BEST IN PHYSICS (THERAPY): Cherenkov emission dosimetry: Feasibility for electron radiotherapy. Conference. BEST IN PHYSICS (THERAPY): Cherenkov emission dosimetry: Feasibility for electron radiotherapy. Anaheim, California, US.
- 2014. Shining light on the implementation of Cherenkov emission for image guidance and intensity modulation in radiation therapy. Conference. Shining light on the implementation of Cherenkov emission for image guidance and intensity modulation in radiation therapy. San Francisco, California, US.
- 2014. Shining light on the implementation of Cherenkov emission in radiation therapy. Conference. Shining light on the implementation of Cherenkov emission in radiation therapy. Austin, Texas, US.
- 2014. Investigation of Cherenkov emission with applications in dosimetry, image guidance and intensity modulation in radiation therapy. Conference. Investigation of Cherenkov emission with applications in dosimetry, image guidance and intensity modulation in radiation therapy. Washington, DC, US.
- 2013. Red spectral shift of Cherenkov emission with applications in image‐guided and intensity‐modulated radiation therapy. Conference. Red spectral shift of Cherenkov emission with applications in image‐guided and intensity‐modulated radiation therapy. Indianapolis, Indiana, US.
International Presentations
- 2019. Recommendations on the step-size artifact of Monte Carlo-calculated photon and electron beam Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors. Conference. Recommendations on the step-size artifact of Monte Carlo-calculated photon and electron beam Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors. Kelowna, CA.
- 2019. Cherenkov emission-based dosimetry: Detection angle and aperture study. Conference. Cherenkov emission-based dosimetry: Detection angle and aperture study. Montreal, CA.
- 2019. Cerenkov emission-based dosimetry is a promising perturbation-free technique. Conference. Cerenkov emission-based dosimetry is a promising perturbation-free technique. Milan, IT.
- 2018. Laying the groundwork for accurate Cherenkov emission-based electron beam dosimetry. Conference. Laying the groundwork for accurate Cherenkov emission-based electron beam dosimetry. Montreal, CA.
- 2017. Cherenkov dosimetry via directional Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors: Monte Carlo protocol and experimental feasibility. Conference. Cherenkov dosimetry via directional Cherenkov-to-dose conversion factors: Monte Carlo protocol and experimental feasibility. Ottawa, CA.
- 2016. Stopping power‐to‐Cherenkov power ratios and beam quality specification for clinical Cherenkov emission dosimetry of electrons: Beam‐specific effects and experimental validation. Conference. Stopping power‐to‐Cherenkov power ratios and beam quality specification for clinical Cherenkov emission dosimetry of electrons: Beam‐specific effects and experimental validation. St. John's, CA.
- 2015. Cherenkov emission dosimetry for electron beam radiotherapy: A Monte Carlo feasibility study of absolute dose prediction. Conference. Cherenkov emission dosimetry for electron beam radiotherapy: A Monte Carlo feasibility study of absolute dose prediction. Toronto, CA.
- 2014. Cherenkov emission by high-energy radiation therapy beams: A characterization study. Conference. Cherenkov emission by high-energy radiation therapy beams: A characterization study. Banff, CA.
- 2014. Monte Carlo simulation of Cherenkov emission by high-energy radiotherapy beams: Investigating a novel optical approach to dosimetry and online imaging in radiotherapy. Conference. Monte Carlo simulation of Cherenkov emission by high-energy radiotherapy beams: Investigating a novel optical approach to dosimetry and online imaging in radiotherapy. Quebec City, CA.
- 2013. Preliminary study of Cherenkov emission by radiotherapy treatment beams for potential application as optical dosimeter. Conference. Preliminary study of Cherenkov emission by radiotherapy treatment beams for potential application as optical dosimeter. Montreal, CA.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | FLASH proton therapy: an innovative ultra-fast and ultra-sharp scalpel for radiosurgery |
| Funding Source: | UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 2025-00064784-Y1 |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified April 30, 2025