Monte Carlo simulation of charged particle transport in biomatter

Knowledge of the microscopic distribution of interactions in irradiated matter is of fundamental importance for a mechanistic understanding of subsequent effects. This may be obtained by Monte Carlo codes which simulate event-by-event the transport of charged particles in matter. The development of such codes necessitates accurate interaction cross-sections for all the important collision processes. A semi-theoretical formalism has been developed and implemented in a Monte Carlo code which fairly accurately predicts energy-loss spectra for charged particle impact on water molecules. The extension of the formalism for establishing the necessary cross-sections for liquid/solid water (i.e. more realistic biomatter) is discussed and preliminary results are presented.