Medical Physics Residency Faculty

Dr. Janos Juhasz is a highly accomplished physicist specializing in medical physics and radiation oncology. Dr. Juhasz's academic career includes positions such as Sessional Lecturer at Ryerson University, Adjunct Professor in Physics, and Assistant Professor in Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University. Since 2023, he has been serving as an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Florida International University. He has also held numerous hospital appointments, most notably as a Medical Physicist at Juravinski Cancer Centre and a Senior Medical Physicist at Baptist Health South Florida.

Certified by the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine and the Florida Health Department in Radiation Oncology Physics, Dr. Juhasz is also an authorized medical physicist for Y-90 procedures. His teaching roles have encompassed various physics and medical physics courses, and he has contributed to numerous committees and mentorship programs, including the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists and the CAMPEP Operations Committee.

Dr. Juhasz's clinical responsibilities have been extensive, involving leadership in breast, hematology, and total body irradiation, as well as expertise in advanced radiotherapy techniques and systems. His research interests focus on biomedical physics in cancer therapy, model membranes and ionizing radiation, and the development of new radiation treatment planning techniques. He has been involved in pioneering studies on optical surface monitoring and respiratory motion management in radiation therapy.

Dr. Juhasz has authored nine peer-reviewed papers, 15 published abstracts, and presented at national and international conferences. His recent publications include studies on SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, amyloid-beta aggregation, and erythrocyte liposomes, reflecting his ongoing commitment to advancing the field of medical physics through both clinical practice and research.

Education & Training

• BSc in Physics and Teaching
• Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
• MSc in Biophysics and Medical Physics
• Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
• PhD in Biophysics
• University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Postgraduate Training

• International Training Course in Research (Fellow)
• Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
• Medical Physics Residency in Radiation Oncology
• Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Certificates and Licenses

• Radiation Oncology Physics
• Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine
• Radiation Oncology Physics
• Florida Health Department
• Authorized Medical Physicist for Y-90 procedure
• SirTex

Dr. Kristen McConnell is a senior proton physicist at Baptist Health South Florida (BHSF) with a background in mechanical and nuclear engineering. Prior to joining BHSF, she was an assistant professor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she specialized in brachytherapy and proton therapy. She completed her Ph.D. in radiological sciences in 2018 from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and then completed her residency at UC San Diego in 2020. Before becoming a medical physicist, she was a systems integration consultant for Accenture working on large scale software implementations to improve efficiency in the aerospace and defense sector.

Her work at BHSF has focused around improving efficiency and standardization in the proton therapy physics workflows as well as the treatment delivery. Additionally, she is working on establishing her biological dosimeter work at BHSF. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, running by the beach, trying new recipes, and chasing after her Corgi puppy, Waves.

Education & Training

• BS in Mechanical Engineering
• The University of Texas at Austin
• MS in Nuclear and Radiation Engineering
• The University of Texas at Austin
• PhD in Radiological Sciences – Therapy Physics
• The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
• MBA in Business Administration
• University of Alabama at Birmingham

Postgraduate Training

• Medical Therapy Physics Residency
• University of California, San Diego

Certificates and Licenses

• Therapy Medical Physics
• American Board of Radiology
• Therapeutic Radiological Physicist
• State of Florida Department of Health

Selected Publications

1. Impact of Quality Improvement Interventions on the Efficiency of Treatment Planning Timelines in a Modern Proton Therapy Clinic. McConnell K, Valladares M, Legrand L, Gutierrez AN, McAllister N, Fellows Z, and Wroe A. In Submission, 2024.
2. Evaluation of a Non-Metallic Dual-Port Expander for Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy. McConnell K, Fellows Z, Panoff J, Pons E, Gutierrez AN, Wroe A. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics. 2024. doi.org/10.1002/acm2.14512
3. Quantitative Assessment of Full-Time Equivalent Effort for kV-CBCT Guided Online Adaptive RT for Medical Physicists. Viscariello N, McConnell K, Harms J, Pogue J, Popple R, Ray X, Cardenas C, Stanley DN. Practical Radiation Oncology. 2024. doi.org/10.1016/j.prro.2024.08.007
4. Volumetric de-escalation and improved acute toxicity with proton craniospinal irradiation using a vertebral body-sparing technique. Chou B, Hopper A, Elster J, Crawford J, McConnell K, Chang A, Mundt A, MacEwan I. (05 Dec 2021) Pediatric Blood & Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.29489
5. Double-strand breaks measured along a 160 MeV proton Bragg curve using a novel FIESTA-DNA probe in a cell-free environment. McConnell KA, Chang C, Giebeler A, Liu L, Qu LZ, Moiseenko V. Physics in Medicine and Biology. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/abdd89
6. DNA Dosimeter Measurement of Relative Biological Effectiveness for 160 kVp and 6 MV X-rays. Li X*, McConnell KA*, Che J, Ha CS, Lee ES, Kirby N+, Shim EY+. *Co first authors. Radiation Research. 2020. doi:10.1667/RR15500.1
7. A Review of Patient Questions from Physicist-Patient Consults. T Atwood, DW Brown, T Juang, KL Moore, KA McConnell, J Murphy, AJ Mundt, T Pawlicki. JACMP. 2020. doi:10.1002/acm2.12942
8. DNA Double-Strand Breaks as a Method of Radiation Measurements for Therapeutic Beams. Obeidat M, McConnell KA, Li X, Bui B, Stathakis S, Papanikolaou N, Rasmussen K, Ha CS, Lee SE, Shim EY, et al. Medical Physics. 45(7): 3460-3465, 2018. doi: 10.1002/mp.12956.

Juliet Pol is an accomplished professional in health services administration, with a strong focus on program coordination and project management in the field of radiation oncology. As the Radiation Oncology Academic Program Coordinator at the Miami Cancer Institute, Juliet Pol plays a pivotal role in the program's success by overseeing and managing the administrative and operational aspects of the academic initiatives. Her responsibilities include coordinating educational activities, facilitating the residency and fellowship programs, and ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements. She serves as a liaison between faculty, residents, and fellows, providing support in scheduling, curriculum development, and program evaluations. Additionally, Juliet assists with the organization of academic events such as seminars and workshops and contributes to the development of research projects and publications. Her role is integral in maintaining the program's high standards and fostering an environment conducive to learning and professional growth.

Education & Training

• Associate of Arts (AA) in General Studies
• Columbia College
• Bachelor of Health Services Administration (BHSA)
• Florida International University

Postgraduate Training

• Project Management Certificate Program
• Florida International University
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• Florida International University
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
• Florida International University