On Mar. 5, 2019, Emma, the 90-ton cyclotron that is the centerpiece of the new proton therapy initiative at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), was installed on in the UAB Proton Therapy Center, a Proton International facility under construction at 20th Street and Fourth Avenue South in Birmingham. A cyclotron is a key piece of technology for proton therapy, which uses an aimed beam of protons directed at a tumor site to treat many types of cancer. It is one of the newest forms of radiation therapy, available at only 29 locations in the United States.

Proton International at UAB owns the center, which will be operated by UAB physicians and staff from the Department of Radiation Oncology. Construction began on Jan. 30, 2018, and the center is expected to begin treating cancer patients in early 2020.

The cyclotron produces a proton beam that is configured to deliver the majority of its energy precisely at the tumor location. Healthy tissue in front of the tumor receives a minimal amount of energy, and tissue behind the tumor receives very little. This reduces the damage to healthy tissue that is common in the use of conventional X-ray radiation and is the cause of most side effects.

Emma was built in Germany, transported across the Atlantic Ocean by the MV Tugela, a vehicles carrier, and off-loaded at the Georgia Ports Authority facility in Brunswick, Georgia. A specialized truck, with 20 axles, 78 wheels and drivers in front and back, brought her to UAB. A heavy-lift crane was assembled on Fourth Avenue South to lift and deposit Emma into the facility via the roof.

Emma will require multiple rounds of testing and calibration before the facility is ready to treat patients.