Southwest Florida Proton names Mark Artz as senior director

Southwest Florida Proton has recruited Mark Artz as senior director of proton medical physics, bringing world-class expertise in proton therapy operations to oversee all physics aspects of the groundbreaking medical center.

In this role, Artz will direct the comprehensive physics operations for the first proton therapy center on Florida’s west coast, including machine commissioning, treatment planning system optimization, staff development and quality assurance protocols. His leadership will be instrumental in establishing the operational framework that ensures precise, safe proton therapy delivery while building the specialized team needed to operate this advanced cancer-fighting technology.

Artz brings an exceptional track record of proton therapy leadership, having successfully commissioned and operated multiple proton therapy systems throughout his career. At the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, he served as lead physicist for pencil beam scanning operations – an advanced technique that delivers precisely targeted proton beams – while holding a faculty appointment at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He played a pivotal role in commissioning the center’s newest IBA ProteusONE proton machine and led major upgrades to the original IBA ProteusPlus. His operational innovations there more than doubled treatment capacity and significantly expanded patient access to proton therapy.

Artz’s career spans the full spectrum of proton therapy development and clinical implementation. His progressive leadership roles include serving as a medical physicist at the Provision Proton Therapy Center, physicist at ProNova Solutions and consulting accelerator physicist at ProCure, where he provided specialized expertise in particle accelerator systems. Earlier in his career, Artz spent two years conducting advanced research at the Plasma Science Fusion Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he developed foundational expertise in superconducting particle accelerator technology that became central to his proton therapy career.

Artz earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After transitioning from superconducting proton therapy development to clinical practice, he completed a professional doctorate at the University of Tennessee in just two years while working full-time as a medical physicist. Artz also holds an Executive Master’s of Business Administration in health care leadership from Tennessee’s Haslam Business School, demonstrating his commitment to advancing health care through both technical excellence and operational efficiency.

Amassing a research portfolio comprised of nearly 30 publications, patent applications and invention disclosures, Artz’ work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Particle Therapy, Cancers, Biophysica, Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice and Frontiers in Oncology. Artz has been the principal investigator and made significant contributions to several grants, including industry-funded research and multi-center clinical trials. His work has focused on enhancing the therapeutic ratio using Linear Energy Transfer optimization and genetic screening of tumor biopsies for DNA repair mutations leading to increased sensitivity of cancer cells to proton therapy. His contributions to proton therapy operational efficiency have also been recognized through multiple clinical awards and professional honors.

Beyond his technical expertise, Artz has demonstrated exceptional leadership in building and managing proton therapy programs. He has overseen capital projects exceeding $400 million and successfully guided multiple PBS proton machines from conception through full operation. His engineering and business background enables him to optimize both clinical outcomes and operational efficiency, which ensures sustainable program growth.

Artz serves on the board of the Florida Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine professional committees, including the American Association of Medical Physicists Particle Beams Work Group and the Particle Therapy Cooperative Group GU Subcommittee. Artz has also contributed significantly to medical physics education, mentoring numerous residents and Ph.D. students.

Engineers are currently installing and calibrating Southwest Florida Proton’s IBA ProteusONE, widely considered the most innovative and effective cancer-fighting machine in the world. Under Artz’s guidance, the ProteusONE is expected to become operational in late 2025.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to establish a world-class proton therapy program in Southwest Florida,” Artz said. “As a Florida native, I’m particularly proud to bring the clinical benefits of proton therapy to Southwest Florida patients who previously had to travel hundreds of miles for this advanced treatment. The IBA ProteusONE represents the latest in proton therapy technology, and I’m committed to building an exceptional team and operational framework that will serve patients with the highest standard of care.”

Artz works collaboratively with Senior Medical Director Dr. Shannon MacDonald, Associate Medical Director Dr. Todd Pezzi and Managing Partner Dr. Arie Dosoretz to establish Southwest Florida as a premier destination for advanced cancer care. For more information, please visit SWFLproton.com.