1. Can you please introduce yourself?
My name is Minglei Kang. I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Oncology and Director of Proton Physics at UW–Madison. I also have an affiliate appointment in the Department of Medical Physics.
My PhD was in accelerator physics, where I studied how to design and understand particle accelerators. I wanted to use that knowledge in a way that directly helps patients, which led me into medical physics. During my PhD I learned about charged particle therapy and was fascinated by the Bragg peak, where protons can deliver high dose to the tumor and then stop, sparing healthy tissues.
I started working in proton therapy right after my PhD in 2011 and later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, then one of the largest and most advanced proton centers in the U.S. Since then, I have focused my career on improving proton therapy and finding new ways to “reshape” and optimize the Bragg peak for better cancer treatments.
2. Can you talk about your role in theranostics and particle therapy?
My main focus is proton therapy, within the broader theranostics and particle therapy efforts at UW–Madison. I lead the proton physics program, which includes commissioning the new proton system, building and maintaining quality assurance (QA), and supporting daily clinical treatments.
I work closely with radiation oncologists, dosimetrists, therapists, and vendors to keep proton treatments accurate, safe, and efficient. My research focuses on proton treatment planning and dose calculation, uncertainty and robustness, FLASH proton therapy (ultra-high dose rate treatments), and tools for adaptive proton therapy, where we adjust plans based on changes in the patient.
On a typical day, I review and approve treatment plans, help solve technical issues, meet with students and collaborators, and work on research projects and papers. I also teach and mentor residents and students who are interested in medical physics and proton therapy.
3. What aspect of theranostics and particle therapy most excites you? What are you looking forward to in the next few years?
I am most excited about making treatments more personalized and precise. Particle therapy already allows us to shape the dose very carefully. The next step is to combine this with advanced imaging and biological information so we can better tailor dose to each patient and each tumor.
In proton therapy, I am especially interested in FLASH proton therapy, which delivers radiation at very high dose rates over a very short time and may help spare normal tissues, and in using AI and fast computing to support adaptive therapy, where we can quickly update and improve treatment plans during a course of therapy.
In the coming years, I look forward to more clinical data on FLASH and biologically guided planning, stronger links between theranostics and external-beam proton therapy, and training the next generation of physicists and clinicians who will bring these new ideas into everyday patient care.
4. Do you have any advice for students and trainees who are looking to follow your career path and get involved in the field?
First, build a strong foundation in physics, math, and computing. These skills are the core tools you will use in medical physics, from understanding dose calculations to developing new methods. Learning some programming (for example, Python or MATLAB) and basic data/AI skills is also very helpful.
Second, try to get clinical exposure by shadowing medical physicists, radiation oncologists, or nuclear medicine physicians. Seeing real patients and treatments helps you understand why the technical work matters. Also, find mentors—talk with faculty, residents, and graduate students about their paths and projects.
Finally, stay curious and open-minded. Theranostics and particle therapy are changing quickly, and new technologies and ideas appear all the time. If you enjoy physics, technology, and working with a team to help patients, this field can be very rewarding and full of opportunities to make a real impact.