IAEA Expands E-Learning Radiobiology Course to Boost Global Cancer Treatment Expertise

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has enhanced its interactive e-learning course on radiation biology with four new modules aimed at strengthening the global workforce’s expertise in using ionizing radiation to fight cancer. Understanding how ionizing radiation affects cancer cells and healthy tissues at the cellular and molecular levels is vital for developing effective treatment protocols, ensuring patient safety, and advancing protective measures in radiotherapy.

Urgent Need for Skilled Radiation Medicine Professionals

With global cancer cases projected to reach 35.3 million and cancer-related deaths estimated at 18.5 million by 2050, the IAEA-led Lancet Oncology Commission on Radiotherapy and Theranostics underscores the pressing need to expand the radiation medicine workforce. It estimates that the number of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiotherapy technologists must increase by over 60% from 2022 levels to meet this demand. For these professionals—more than 84,000 oncologists, 47,000 physicists, and 141,000 technologists anticipated—the mastery of radiobiology is essential.

May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA Division of Human Health, emphasized the importance of radiobiology education: “For cancer patients, advancing radiobiology knowledge not only translates into high-quality care that is safe and effective but also drives cutting-edge research, innovative therapies, and novel technologies leveraging radiobiological phenomena.”

Building on Foundational Radiobiology Education

The original four modules of the IAEA’s Basic Clinical Radiobiology e-learning course, launched in 2024, introduced fundamental radiation biology principles to support training for radiation oncologists, technologists, and medical physicists. At the International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology in June 2025, the IAEA unveiled four additional modules focused on the clinical applications of radiobiology, designed to enhance professional training programs globally.

Sandra Ndarukwa, Associate Education Officer (Radiation Oncology) and the course lead, explained, “The additional modules focus on integrating radiobiology into clinical practice to optimize treatment plans that maximize tumour control while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. They enable personalized radiation dose and schedule planning tailored to individual patient and tumour characteristics.”

Interactive, Student-Centred Learning Experience

The new modules offer a comprehensive study of tumour and normal tissue responses to radiation, including approaches to treating radiation-resistant tumours through oxygen effects on radiosensitivity. Key concepts such as dose, fractionation—splitting radiation doses over time—and overall treatment duration’s impact on tumour control are explored in detail.

Interactive quizzes embedded throughout the course help learners assess their understanding and identify areas needing further review. Ans Baeyens, Associate Professor of Radiobiology at Ghent University and leader at the Cancer Research Institute Ghent, praised the course’s pedagogical design: “The IAEA’s radiobiology training materials employ student-centred, active learning methods with digital tools that promote deeper engagement, adaptability, and retention.”

With an average module length of 30 minutes, the enriched content includes multimedia and interactive elements, optimized for mobile devices to ensure accessibility and user convenience worldwide.

Addressing Education Gaps in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Access to structured radiobiology education remains limited in many low- and middle-income countries, despite its critical role in radiation oncology training. Jickson Flores, Radiation Oncology Residency Training Officer at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines, emphasized the modules’ impact: “These e-learning modules provide residents foundational knowledge regardless of geographic or institutional barriers, empowering a new generation of radiation oncologists to elevate cancer care in underserved regions.”

The course also supports understanding of resource-efficient radiotherapy approaches, such as hypofractionation, which involves fewer, larger radiation doses and can expand care access. Abdel-Wahab noted, “Hypofractionation requires deep knowledge of dose biological effectiveness. The IAEA’s radiobiology modules bridge these knowledge gaps, providing essential, accessible training for global professionals.”

Global Access via IAEA Learning Platforms

Learners worldwide can access the Basic Clinical Radiobiology course and its expanded modules through the IAEA Human Health Campus and the Cyber Learning Platform for Network Education and Training (CLP4NET). These platforms facilitate flexible, on-demand learning critical to developing the skilled workforce needed to meet the global cancer burden.