Markus Stock, medical physicist
We don’t produce theoretical, pie-in-the-sky ideas – we develop solutions.
Univ.-Prof. PD DI Markus Stock, PhD, is Head of the Department of Medical Physics with an emphasis on Particle Therapy at Karl Landsteiner University (KL). Prof. Stock conducts research on campus and at the MedAustron Centre for Ion Therapy and Research in Wiener Neustadt. As teaching and research facility of Karl Landsteiner University, MedAustron is one of six centres worldwide capable of performing radiation therapy with both protons and carbon ions. In addition, MedAustron is one of only three centres with an irradiation room dedicated to research along with corresponding lab facilities. In this article, Prof. Stock shares insights into his role, which involves both high-precision technology and clinical practice.
Markus Stock’s career has been shaped by a search for meaning at the intersection of technology, natural sciences and humanity. After attending a school with a technical focus – which he found challenging and formative but, at the time, also rather disillusioning – his first instinct was to pursue a career in a non-technical field. However, his compulsory civilian service with the Tyrolean Red Cross opened up new perspectives: humanitarian values, time for reflection, and direct contact with people gave rise to his desire to engage with technology. Yet rather than using technology for its own sake, Stock was focused on its practical applications. “This conviction ultimately led me to study a technical subject, physics, albeit with a clear humanitarian focus. During my studies, I also worked as a service engineer at medical technology firms. This practical work reinforced my decision to deploy physics in ways that directly serve people,” says Prof. Stock, who became Head of the Department of Medical Physics with an emphasis on Particle Therapy at KL in October 2022. Another decisive step was completing his master’s thesis at the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna). While preparing his thesis on radiotherapy, Prof. Stock realised how knowledge of physics can directly benefit patients and how this work can create a sense of purpose.
After working at MedUni Vienna for around a decade, Prof. Stock took up a position at MedAustron in 2014. He has played a significant role in the cancer treatment and research centre’s development ever since – though taking this step very much felt like jumping in at the deep end. “Looking back, if I had known then what I know now, I would have seen the significance of this challenge more clearly: setting up a highly complex, internationally unique centre; the transition from research to day-to-day clinical practice; working shifts around the clock while developing the centre.” After several years dominated by organisational and clinical duties, Stock returned to his university-based activities in 2022. An endowed professorship enabled him to further his research activities – especially in relation to particle physics and particle therapy – and embed these fields at KL.
“Our research focuses on medical physics, with an emphasis on particle therapy. This is a highly specialised field only addressed by a handful of centres worldwide – which makes our work both challenging and fascinating. For me, the opportunity to work at this interface is a privilege: on the one hand, we generate scientific evidence to demonstrate the benefits of this form of treatment; on the other hand, we actively contribute to its development, to making the treatment more effective, safer and accessible to more patients.”
Building bridges between disciplines
As a scientist, Markus Stock follows a resolutely evidence-based approach. “Decisions must be based on facts and results need to be presented objectively – even when they contradict your personal expectations. To my mind, openness to new insights and a willingness to change direction are absolute prerequisites of scientific work, especially in a clinically relevant field such as radiotherapy. That said, my team and I have a particular strength: building bridges between disciplines. As medical physicists, we need to master the languages of both physics and medicine, translating and linking these two worlds – supporting doctors and promoting highly complex technical systems. Our international team brings together experts from 18 countries. Together, we follow an approach with a clear practical focus: we don’t produce theoretical, pie-in-the-sky ideas – we develop solutions that actually work in daily clinical practice.”
Students are integrated into work processes at an early stage. Internships, traineeships and smaller projects allow students and staff to get to know each another. Many of these pathways lead to bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate-level thesis projects and, eventually, a place on the team. Close links to practice are central to this journey. At present, Stock’s research projects focus above all on continuing to validate evidence and optimise particle therapy. The aim is to reach more patients and treat additional indications while making the therapy more targeted and gentler on patients. “This includes projects on carbon ion therapy, immunomodulation in the tumour area, and the use of artificial intelligence for automation and quality assurance. We place a particular focus on paediatric patients and patients with tumours in the head, neck and abdominal regions because they stand to benefit most from the advantages of particle therapy – especially due to the reduced stress on healthy tissue and the lower risk of long-term sequelae,” explains Prof. Stock.
Raising an international profile
Looking to the future, he sees major potential in AI-assisted adaptive therapy planning. “Automation can help to accelerate processes, enhance individual adaptation to anatomic changes – such as respiration – and thereby enable more people to access this form of therapy. MedAustron affords Austria international visibility in this field, with scope to enhance this position further.”
Prof. Stock’s family keep him grounded. “My three children and my wife have advised and supported me since the start of my career. They help me put my stress into perspective. I also find the balance I need in walks outdoors and quiet moments away from day-to-day work. I believe I’m in exactly the right place professionally: in a field that is at the cutting edge of technology, that sets an example, and that can – and must – continue to grow.”
