Building ASU Isotope Research Infrastructure and Expertise to Advance Isotope Production and Basic Research Capabilities
Dr. Thomas J. Ondera, Associate Professor
1: Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS, 39096
2: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973
Abstract:
The overarching goal of the planned project is to enhance research infrastructure and expertise at Alcorn State University (ASU) to advance isotope research capabilities and strengthen the collaborative relationships between ASU and Brookhaven National Laboratory Isotope Research and Production Department (BNL-IP). The project's research objectives are 1) development of purification and separation methods of medically relevant isotopes. 2) Chelation and stability studies of 225Ac 3) developing nano-based methods to enhance delivery of therapeutic 225Ac radionuclide at tumor site and 4) Computational investigation of 225Ac coordination chemistry. The research areas to be enhanced by the award range from isotope separation, purification, radiochemical synthesis, nanotechnology, computation and related science of radiation monitoring and measurements, radionuclide delivery methods, and nuclear and radiochemistry. The grant will fund an upgrade of the PI’s Laboratory, acquisition of radioanalytical instruments including a high purity germanium detector (HPGe) detector, dedicated equipment for radioactive work AR-2000 radio-TLC Imaging Scanner, Glove box and a thermomixer, radiation monitoring and measurements devices, chemical supplies, and support for students, postdoctoral fellow and faculty involved in this initiative. Development of radiochemistry expertise will be supported by access of ASU faculty, postdoctoral fellow and students to scientific expertise and advanced instrumentation at BNL-IP facilities to rapidly accelerate isotope research at ASU. The infrastructure built through this project will help to fulfill the university's goal to build research capacity and expand critical instrumentation, enable development of new modules devoted to an in-depth understanding of nuclear and radiochemistry, and computational analysis for integration into existing courses in the Department of Chemistry and Physics curriculum, and further enhance the Health Physics (HP) program at ASU. The project takes advantage of the complementary techniques available at ASU in the Departments of Chemistry & Physics, and the broad expertise available at the BNL-IP facility and Radioisotope Research and Production Laboratory (RRPL), and will involve ASU faculty, undergraduates, as well as BNL Scientist collaborators. The project will include extended research and training visits to BNL by ASU faculty and post-doctoral researcher involved in this initiative, student engagement in research internships at BNL, short training courses on nuclear and radiochemistry (both onsite and distance), experiments and activity measurements at BNL, thus broadening expertise and skills to other isotope production, separation, purification, radiochemical synthetic approaches, techniques and facilities, thereby providing knowledge and expertise in isotope research and production. The collaborative team will hold monthly research-focused group meetings via real-time video teleconferencing for project updates. The students engaged in this program will be involved in basic research which will support their B.S. senior project. The ASU faculty involved in the project will systematically engage high school students in the surrounding schools and undergraduates at ASU to encourage, recruit and broaden participation by providing opportunities for students from underrepresented groups to participate and contribute to the project’s research activities. The research outcome will be disseminated through conferences, workshops and publications, with a goal of publishing in peer reviewed journals. This project also responds directly to the critical shortage of highly qualified scientists in the field of nuclear science and radiochemistry, Health Physics, and radionuclide research & development in the United States and brings diversity to nuclear and radiochemistry as well as to the national laboratory environment.
This research was selected for fundind by the office of Isotope R&D and Production (IRP)- D.O.E Office of Science
