简介：Single-IonMicrobeam(SIM)isuniquelycapableofpreciselydeliveringapredefinednumberofchargedparticles(precisedosesofradiation)toindividualcellsorsub-cellulartargetsinsitu.Sincetheearly1990's,therehasbeenanever-increasinginterestindevelopingandapplyingtheSIMtechniquetoproblemsinradiobiologyforstudiesofcellandtissuedamagedbyionizingradiations.PotentialapplicationsforSIMinradiobiologycontinuestogrowandhavebeendiversified.Therearecurrentlymorethan14SIMfacilitiesworldwide,andtheyhavebeeninaconstantstateofevolution.ThispaperreviewsthecurrentstateofSIMresearchworldwideandtherelatedpivotaltechnologicaldevelopmentsinthefieldsofbothbiophysicsandradiobiology.RepresentativeapplicationsandtheperspectiveofSIMarealsointroducedanddiscussed.