The AURORA laboratory at Amsterdam UMC is an alliance between clinicians and researchers from the department of Radiation Oncology and the Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR) to combine both clinical and preclinical research expertise. The research at AURORA lab is aimed to optimize the clinical benefit of radiotherapy and to improve the therapeutic outcome for cancer patients. 

The name Aurora refers to the phenomenon of colors and patterns in the sky that predominantly occurs in the polar regions. The phenomenon is generated by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth's atmosphere. At the poles the charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, are able to enter the atmosphere. Within the atmosphere, they collide with other molecules causing ionizations and excitations. The excited molecules release their absorbed energy in the form of light. This light emission is what we perceive as the vibrant color displays in the sky during auroral events. 

Radiotherapy also involves the generation and use of charged particles, including electrons and protons. In malignant tissues,  such particles induce local ionizations that can cause the killing of tumor cells, thereby contributing to treatment. While not accompanied by vibrant color displays, radiotherapy can be conceived just as (or even more) magical as the polar auroras.