We are gradually introducing you to successful graduates of Jaderka. Petra Trnková is an expert in interdisciplinary research in medical physics and has recently become the head of the Medical Physics Research Group at FNSPE. She and her team were recently awarded a major grant for a project on upright (seated) radiation therapy, which could make radiological treatment accessible to a much larger number of patients. Read her full story!
Petra Trnková specialises in interdisciplinary applied research in medical physics. In 2007, she earned her Master’s degree from Jaderka in Radiological Physics, followed by a doctorate from the Medical University of Vienna in 2010. Throughout her career, she has worked at leading research institutions (Paul Scherrer Institute, Harvard Medical School, HollandPTC, and the Medical University of Vienna), balancing research with clinical practice. Her work focuses primarily on developing methods to improve the precision and efficiency of radiation in both conventional and proton radiotherapy.
She is an active member of the European Particle Therapy Network, the PTCOG Ocular Subcommittee, and the Upright Consortium. Since 2024, she has also served on the editorial board of the professional journal “Physics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology”. In 2014, she received a career grant from the Swiss National Fund, and in 2022, she was honoured with the PTCOG Team Investigation Award. In her free time, she enjoys sports, especially running and climbing.
- Why did you enrol at Jaderka?
In my final year of school, I couldn’t decide whether to study medicine or physics. I was drawn to both, but I enjoyed physics immensely. Jaderka offered a Radiological Physics programme that combines both fields, which made my decision to enrol an easy one.
- Would you study here again?
Absolutely. Jaderka opened doors to the world for me and provided a solid foundation in my field. Because the faculty collaborates with so many institutions, I had the opportunity to complete several internships during my studies. I spent time in Dubna, at CERN, and at a university in Valencia, and I completed part of my Master’s thesis at a clinic in Regensburg. I gained contacts and experience that were instrumental when I was looking for PhD opportunities abroad.
- What are you working on right now?
My latest research project involves treating patients in a seated position. It is an innovative approach where the patient can be rotated relative to the radiation beam. Currently, patients lie down during treatment while the machine rotates around them, which leads to high manufacturing costs. If upright radiation therapy proves to offer the same or better quality of treatment, we could reduce the size of the equipment and treatment rooms, as well as the cost of the irradiators—especially in proton therapy. This would make the treatment accessible to many more patients.
- Would you recommend studying at Jaderka? And who do you think it is not for?
For young people who enjoy mathematics, physics, chemistry, or programming, Jaderka offers many attractive fields of study. I would definitely recommend it, though it is not an easy school. However, in its offered programmes, it is among the very best.
I think that compared to other universities, students here have to study much harder. Therefore, it probably isn’t for those who aren’t prepared to work diligently and sacrifice some of their comfort.
- How did Jaderka help you in your career choice?
It introduced me to the field of medical physics. It’s a wonderful multidisciplinary field that combines physics, medicine, biology, and software engineering. I don’t think this field is very well known in our country, yet it is absolutely indispensable to modern medicine. A medical physicist—or "radiological physicist," as we are more commonly called here—can work clinically in a hospital, in research to improve radiation and imaging methods, or in the medical industry. I personally fell in love with the combination of clinical practice and applied research.
- What is the biggest myth about Jaderka?
I studied at Jaderka almost twenty years ago, so I don’t really recall the myths of that time, and I’m not familiar with the current ones. However, I would like to dispel one stereotype that affects me personally: that Jaderka isn't for women. Throughout my studies and my career, I’ve often had to defend my choice and constantly prove to others that I have what it takes to be at Jaderka and work in physics. Yet, there are so many amazing, talented women who have graduated from Jaderka and continue to excel in their fields.