Peukert, Dylan David2025-12-172025-12-172020https://hdl.handle.net/11541.2/1445181 ethesis (xx, 132 pages) :illustrations (some colour), colour charts.Includes bibliographical references (pages 125-132)Gold nanoparticle (GNP) enhanced proton therapy is a promising treatment offering excellent normal tissue sparing and increased effect within the tumour. In this thesis, a simulation is developed to model the dose and radiolysis yield enhancement from GNPs. The simulation was validated, used to optimise GNP design and investigate the effect of GNP proximity and clustering on enhancement. It was also used to determine how the dose and reactive species from GNP distributions within a cell model affect the cell components and the potential for intercellular effects. The simulations showed that 10-25 nm GNPs with thin coatings maximise the enhancement, that GNP clusters maximise the local yield but reduce the total yield from absorption and that GNP enhancement is targeted, only affecting cells with internalised GNPs. This work will aid future use of GNP enhanced proton therapy.ennanoparticle radiosensitisation;proton therapy;radiolysisCancerNanoparticlesProton beamsthesis