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CHRIS HALL

Chris Hall

Adjunct Research Fellow

BSc(Hons) Physics with Electronics, The University of Southampton, UK. 1980
PhD (Physics), An Imaging High Energy Gamma Ray Telescope, The University of Southampton, UK. 1986
Phone +61 (3) 9905 5036 FAX +61 (3) 9905 3637

Email:Chris.Hall@sync.monash.edu.au

 An x-ray computed tomography image of a rat cranium, taken with a synchrotron x-ray beam. The quality of the beam allows a small brain tumour to be made visible. The tumour cells were marked with inert gold nanoparticles. The novel imaging technique we are developing will allow our team to study the growth dynamics of the cancer, providing unique information for therapy planning in human patients. Rat skull CT

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Chris Hall started his research career working in a group at Southampton University Physics Department studying gamma ray emission from the cosmos. His PhD project involved developing both the technology for building a sophisticated gamma radiation telescope and the science that resulted from observations. This is a theme which has continued throughout his career. After leaving astronomical science Chris joined a detector research group at the Synchrotron Radiation Source at Daresbury in the UK. In this role he helped develop several photon detectors which have made the scientific exploitation of synchrotron light both novel and efficient. His research interests ware towards using synchrotrons along with the detectors developed for them, to push forward medical sciences. An enthusiasm for small angle x-ray scatter research, and work on novel x-ray imaging led to involvement in projects developing new forms of breast cancer diagnosis. These are still going on today, but now in Australia. Chris joined Monash University in 2006 to continue the progress for progress in instrumentation and medical physics research on the Australian Synchrotron. He is currently a member of a Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) in Biomedical Imaging Development and part of a Centre of Excellence (ARC CoE) in Coherent X-ray Science.

Current projects include:

  • Using small angle x-ray scattering as a means to diagnose disease in tissue.
  • Methods of mapping small angle x-ray scatter signatures in volumes.
  • The uses of x-ray phase phase contrast for diagnostic imaging.
  • Cell markers for medical x-ray imaging.
  • The development of x-ray detectors for clinical medical imaging.
  • Novel gamma ray detectors for nuclear medicine.
  • Optimisation of x-ray detectors for coherent diffraction imaging.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Confirmation of periodic outbursts from LSI +61 303 = GT 0236+61 M. J. Coe, S. R. Bowring, A. J. Court, C. J. Hall, J. B. Stephen; Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 203 (1983) 791.

Predicted performance of a solar neutron track chamber detector (SONTRAC) G. M. Frye, C. J. Hall, T. L. Jenkins, G. N. Pendleton; Proceedings of the 20th International Cosmic Ray Conference, 4 (1987) 392.

Beam tests of a 3-D position sensitive scintillation detector C. J. Hall, B. Agrinier, K. Byard, A. J. Dean, A. Goldwurm, J. S. Harding, C. Labanti; I.E. E. E. Transactions on Nuclear Science, 36 (1989) 863.

Tests of a multi-site scintillation gamma-ray detector C. J. Hall, B. Agrinier, A. J. Dean, C. Labanti; Proceedings of the 21st International Cosmic Ray Conference, Adelaide, Australia (1990).

2-D detectors for synchrotron x-ray sources some comparative tests C. J. Hall, R. A. Lewis, F. D'Annunzio, B. Parker, J. Worgan; Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research , A310 (1991) 215.

Preliminary results from a high pressure imaging spectroscopic proportional counter C. J. Hall, A. Bazzano, R. A. Lewis, B. Parker, P. Ubertini, J. S. Worgan; Review of Scientific Instruments, 63 (1992) 660.

The secret life of image plate phosphors C. J. Hall, R. A. Lewis, B. Parker, J. S. Worgan; Review of Scientific Instruments, 63 (1992) 697.

Recent developments in x-ray detectors for synchrotron radiation experiments C. J. Hall, R. A. Lewis; Nuclear Instruments and Methods, A348 (1994) 627 - 630.

Phosphors for luminescent image plates A. M. Gurvich, C. Hall, I. A. Kamenskikh, I. H. Munro, V. V. Mikhailin, J. S. Worgan; Journal of x-ray science and technology, 6 (1996) 48-62

An investigation into the use of microchannel plates as the photocathode for a SEE x-ray detector C. J. Hall, R. A. Lewis, G. Fraser, D. Duxbury, J. Pearson, W. Helsby, A. Jones, J. W Sheldon, B. Parker; Nuclear Instruments and Methods, A392 (1997) 330-335.

Breast cancer diagnosis using scattered x-rays R. A. Lewis, K. D. Rogers, C. J. Hall, E. Towns-Andrews, S. Slawson, A. Evans, S. E. Pinder, I. O. Ellis, C. R. M. Boggis, A. P. Hufton, D. Dance; Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 7(2000) 348-352

The RAPID detector system - first User data R. A. Lewis, A. Berry, C. J. Hall, W. I. Helsby, B. T. Parker; Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research (A), 454 (2000) 165-172

A gamma ray tracking detector for molecular imaging C. J. Hall, R. A. Lewis, W. I. Helsby, P. Nolan , A. Boston; Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research (A), 510 (2003) 116-121

Progress in Medical Diffraction Enhanced Imaging at the UK Synchrotron Radiation Source C. J. Hall, M. Ibison, K. C. Cheung, K. Siu, R. A. Lewis, A. Hufton, S. J.Wilkinson, K. D. Rogers, A. Round, B. R. Dobson, , J. V. Flaherty, M. J. Rowley, A. D. Cook; Proceedings of SPIE, Physics of Medical Imaging 5745 (2005) 1256-1265

Imaging of cells implanted into the central nervous system: A pilot project using synchrotron light E. Schultke, C. J. Hall, K. Ataelmannan, F. Arfelli, R. H. Menk, S. T. Rigley, L. Rigon, A. R. Round, G. Tromba, S. J. Wilkinson; R. W. Griebel, L. D. Chapman, B. H. J. Juurlink; Journal of Neurotrauma, 22 (2005) 179