Endowing the Future

FALL 2007 VOLUME I, NO. 1 Endowing the Future Collaborating Thoughts, Research, Breakthroughs A MISSOURI UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTOR UPDATE Launch of a New Era Infrastructure Expands with Building Addition, Cyclotron Ralph A. Butler, Director O Direct Butler, ector Director Butler, Deaton Chancellor Deaton ribbon, officially cut ribbon, of ficially new opening new clotr cyclotron addition, cyclotron n a warm, sunny Missouri morning in August, a celebration took place, launching a new era for the University of Missouri’s Research Reactor Center (MURR.) A ceremonial ribbon was cut, and the doors opened to a 25,000 square foot building addition – a highly functional, much needed work area consisting of laboratories, classrooms and offices. The construction is a major accomplishment, providing facilities essential for expanding interactions with faculty and students in the nuclear sciences. Unveiled alongside was a new 16 MeV cyclotron – one that will serve two important functions. In the morning hours of each workday, the cyclotron will be used to create a commercial product for medical imaging of the human heart and other organs. During the rest of the day, it will support research into new and innovative products that hold promise for transforming the future – utilizing advanced medical imaging, made possible with this new tool. MURR Director Ralph Butler said, “Researchers have been seeking a cyclotron in Columbia for years. Not only will this machine fill a vital gap in our area’s medical diagnostic abilities, but the additional building and associated cyclotron facilities will allow the University to expand its research and teaching capabilities as we continue to investigate the latest technologies for medical and other uses.” The cyclotron and the additions will help maximize this unique research center’s use, creating an even greater atmosphere for learning – making possible innovative products that will touch the lives of all of us, for years to come. Originally built in the mid-60’s, MURR stands alone in size and capability. These additions will support its excellent track record, paving the way for greater discoveries, from what truly constitutes a new era. ■ IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 1 Launch of a New Era Infrastructure Expands with Building Addition, Cyclotron PAGE 2 Opportunity Fosters Achievement Andy and Rachel; Two MURR Stars PAGE 3 Where We’ve Been Where We’re Going SIDEBAR Few Like it in the World PAGE 4 Environment of Collaboration Partnering Thoughts, Research, Breakthroughs MURR MISSOURI UNIVERSIT Y UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTOR CENTER RESEARC REACT CTOR COLUMBIA , MISSOURI 65211 COLUMBIA UMBIA, 6521 M.U. RESEARCH REACTOR UPDATE FALL 2007 ENDOWING THE FUTURE Opportunity Fosters Achievement Andy and ’ Rachel; Two of MURR s Stars ndy Casella received a degree in chemical engineering in December 2001, while working as a laboratory assistant at MURR pursuing an advanced degree in nuclear engineering, funded by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant fellowship. Andy is now a junior scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) in Richland, Washington. His experience at MURR played a significant role in his graduate education experience, contributing appreciably in his position as a researcher, to his pursuit of several national and international professional development opportunities. These skills landed him summer internships at BWX technologies in Lynchburg, Virginia, followed the next summer doing a practicum at Savannah River National Laboratories. Andy was also selected to participate in the first World Nuclear University Summer Institute, held at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in Idaho Falls. Andy adds – “My experiences at MURR helped me better appreciate research dealing with radioactive materials. The classes I took provided a wellrounded understanding Andy Casella at the first WNU Summer institute, flanked by John of nuclear science and Ritch, WNU Director General and engineering. As in Hans Blix, Swedish diplomat, most cases, there is a Head of International Atomic disconnect between Energy Agency 1981 - 1997. understanding the ideas and concepts behind research and actually performing the research. My work within the analytical chemistry group at MURR allowed me hands-on experiences that helped bridge this gap. The practices and techniques I learned from the MURR staff solidified my education and prepared me for work at a national lab.” “Rachel (Popelka-Filcoff) came to us from Washington University – definitely the type of student you want to attract to Missouri,” said MURR Associate Director Dave Robertson. “She came here for grad school, drawn by our archeometry program. As indication of the quality of student that Rachel was, during her second year here she was awarded a National Science Foundation graduate fellowship,” he added. “At that time she was the only one here who had been tapped for this A prestigious award. Rachel’s work in archeometry – using the chemical technology at the reactor to understand where materials used by ancient peoples and civilizations came from – and how they might have modified those materials, helped provide a greater knowledge of the behavior and culture of those who lived so long ago,” Robertson said. “She was able to demonstrate that it is possible Rachel Popelka-Filcoff to determine the source of Photo by Chris Detrick red ochre – a blood red mineral highly prized by ancient peoples – by using nuclear methods of analysis to ‘fingerprint’ the red ochre. This seminal work paves the way for archaeologists throughout the world to determine if this material was traded among ancient peoples and, if so, to reconstruct the trade routes of theses cultures.” Rachel is now a National Research Council (NRC) postdoctoral research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “My job title here,” Rachel said, “is research chemist, and I am working with the nuclear methods team as part of the analytical chemistry division. MURR and the University’s chemistry department offered me a unique opportunity. Both my advisors, Dr. Robertson and Dr. Michael Glascock, guided me to create a graduate course that allowed an exploration in archeometry, and to gain a strong foundation in radioanalytical chemistry. The unique facilities at MURR, including the reactor itself, allowed me to investigate different aspects and approaches to archeometric studies at MURR, a renowned facility for this kind of research,” Rachel said. “ The practices and techniques I learned from the MURR staff solidified my education and prepared me for work at a national lab. – Andy Casella ” Over the years MURR has invested thousands toward the research of young faculty and graduate students through fellowship grants (MURFA) and the MURR Research Partnership Initiative (MURRPI.) These awards provide opportunities and practical research experience – fostering development and collaboration between the University’s four campuses, other universities, private industry and institutes throughout the nation. ■ PAGE T WO ENDOWING THE FUTURE FALL 2007 Where We’ve Been - Where We’re Going Few Like it in the World Y ears ago it was discovered that radiation Seated, left to Seated, lef t to could be used to kill cancer cells, relieve ight: Dr. Wynn right: Dr. W ynn pain and in some cases cure the disease. olker curators ert, ator Volker t, curators’ Early work concentrated on the use of prof ofessor professor external radiation beams, but it became emeritus, adiology; Dr. radiology; Dr. apparent that when radiation was delivered Ketring, Alan Ketring, internally, aimed precisely via attachment to a associate associate biological compound, a more effective result director, radioector director, radiomight be gained. pharmaceutical The challenge became how to direct the dev St left to right Dr. ight: development. Standing, lef t to right: Dr. right amount of radioactivity to target cancer Cath Cutler, resear associate professor; Dr. esearc ofessor Cathy Cutler, research associate professor; Dr. Silvia Jurisson, prof ofessor chemistry hemistr Silvia Jurisson, professor of chemistr y. cells while avoiding damage to healthy tissue. MURR researchers, working closely with other faculty, industrial and governmental Approved in both the U.S. and Canada, researchers, began facing this challenge. TheraSphere has been shown to improve the quality and even extend the lives of those suffering from liver cancer. One radioisotope we produce ... “Because this reactor facility is located on is Lutetium 177, ... now in multiple clinical trials, the campus of a research university, it was largely due to the fact possible to interact with the chemistry people, we’ve made it available Veterans Administration and University from this reactor, Hospitals and those in the College of providing the initial product, Veterinary Medicine to develop Quadramet ™ and setting the trend. a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical,” Ketring added. Quadramet is now being provided by MURR scientists and other University private industry to physicians and hospitals to colleagues have brought to market three help alleviate the pain of those suffering from radiopharmaceuticals – with MURR playing a metastatic bone cancer. critical role in development of two. Ketring added that, “Now we’re working on “Here at MURR we have perfected a small glass particle in conjunction with colleagues at a project that targets specific tumors. It involves biological molecules that attach the University of Missouri-Rolla, called TheraSphere™, which is used for treatment of themselves to receptors on various types of cancer – for battling breast cancer, liver liver cancer,” Alan Ketring, PhD, associate cancer, pancreatic tumors and others. director of MURR’s Medical Radioisotopes “One radioisotope we produce here and use Program, said. to attach to receptor targeting agents is Grisw iswold, Kim Griswold, Lutetium 177, which is now in at MURR’S multiple clinical trials, Summer 2006 largely due to the fact nderg aduate Undergraduate esearc Research we’ve made it Prog ogr Program. available from this reactor, providing the initial product, and setting the trend.” ■ powerful univer ersity resear esearc powerful university research eactor ev reactor ever built. oday ov four Today, over four decades later the 10-meg er, 0-mega later, the 10-megawatt (MW) internationally recognized ernationall internationally recognized Missouri Resear esearc ersity niver University of Missouri Research eactor or, still the Reactor, or MURR, is still the most intense neutron source most intense neutron source of ely esearc approximatel 27 resear the approximately 27 research eactor located ors univer ersity reactors located on university campuses. Even wor orldwide, campuses. Even worldwide, here are fe facilities that there are few facilities that can compar pare. compare. to In living up to its name as a unique resour esource, unique national resource, MURR center ers producing mater erials centers on producing materials products unders and products or in understanding, analyzing their modifying and anal yzing their behavior vior. behavior. This work is only part of what makes vitall ally makes MURR so vitally ccording to Dr. impor port Accor impor tant. According to Dr. David Robertson, “This facility dra to the University niversity. draws people to the University. It promising students, brings brings us promising students, here choose to who choose to come here esearc this resear because of what this research eactor reactor is capable of, because facility the facility is so educationorient iented, wor orking with oriented, and what working with furt their it can do in helping fur ther their esearch.” research.” for ormer field, Built on a former polo field, nestled agains ainst tree-co ered ee-cov nestled against a tree-covered limest ridg idge now limestone ridge in what is now University’ resear park niversity’s esearc the University’s research park, flux-tr lux-trapthis f lux-trapreact eactor type reactor has highly been highly egar arded regarded as a primar resear imary esearc primar y research source almost source almost birt since its birth. continued on page 4 W hen it opened in was 1966 it was considered most considered the most “ ” PAGE THREE F A F A L 2 02 0 0 7 LL L 07 continued from page 3 ENDOWING THE FUTURE Environment of Collaboration Partnering Thoughts, Research, Breakthroughs brainc ainchild the late The brainchild of the late Crof then oft, emeritus Huber Crof t, then dean emeritus engineering the University niver of engineering at the University Crof oft, with – Crof t, along with a handful of colleagues, decided the niver ersity University should build a esearc react eactor research reactor and become neutron-related on-relat involv involved in neutron-related sciences. The president of the president the niver ersity during this University during this momentous was momentous time was Elmer Ellis, visionary this himself a visionar y of what this univer ersity university could be; Ellis the endorsed the endorsed the idea and led the way. Ardat dath the Ardath Emmons, at the time supervisor the For Nuclear ord super visor at the Ford Nuclear eactor Memorial Reactor and Phoenix Memorial the University niver Lab at the University of Michig higan, was brought to Michigan, was brought in to direct the new project. direct the new project. money ran short, At one point money ran shor t, knowing the University niver and knowing the University not operat ate the red, could not operate in the red, pow Ellis, using its power plant as was collater borr eral, collateral, borrowed what was later figur igured wa needed, and later figured a way retire the to retire the debt. was creativ eative It was a creative time. iginally to operat ate Originall Originall y licensed to operate inaugural year the ear, at 5 MW in its inaugural year, the eactor was upgr to 10 reactor was upgraded to 10 MW to al-time/integ ated egr 19 in 1974. Its total-time/integrated pow running schedule power running schedule and enviable operating recor hav ecord enviable operating record have this react not only the eactor made this reactor not only the largest most unique facility largest and most unique facility the Unit States, nited of its kind in the United States, the best most but one of the best and most sources for students, reliable sources for students, scientists, engineers scientists, engineers and try epresentatives industr representativ industr y representatives orldwide. worldwide. ■ I year National Institutes of Health SELECT study t happens when you bring together where a group of over 30,000 men are being talented and focused people to a large, observed to determine if supranutritional well-known and respected research intakes of vitamin E and/or selenium are university with the resources of a major protective against development of prostate teaching hospital, cancer center, leading cancer. college of veterinary medicine and Our third area of research is using distinguished programs in the biosciences, neutrons as a probe to understand materials or chemistry and engineering – and the most as a tool to modify the properties of a powerful and productive university research material,” Robertson continued. “As a probe, reactor in the United States, all under one neutrons can be used like x-rays to ‘look inside virtual ‘roof.’ a material’, to understand This ‘bring us together how the atoms are so something good may arranged and to recognize happen’ philosophy is the magnetic properties of nurtured in an environment a material. Our researchers of collaboration. The result and faculty in the takes this group from Department of Physics used concept to commerce in a neutron scattering to assist partnership atmosphere. General Motors in “Our research programs determining why a new, can be divided up into lightweight material was three general areas,” says such a good magnet. The MURR Associate Director reactor is also used to Robertson. “First, there is Dr. David Robertson modify materials,” he said. the production and use of Associate Director “A good example of radioisotopes for either this,” Robertson continued, finding and/or treating “is irradiating silicon to cancer and other chronic turn it into a special type of human diseases. The second semi-conductor material. With MURR leading is our trace-analysis program where the the way in developing the procedures and reactor is used as a unique analytical tool in processes, we are now one of the world disciplines as diverse as archeometry and leaders in the neutron-transmutation of silicon. epidemiology,” he added. One of the primary uses of the doped silicon is “In the area of epidemiology, the reactor is in production of hybrid automobiles where now routinely used to rapidly measure the large amounts of electrical power must be amount of selenium found in human toenail switched on and off repeatedly. clippings as a way to determine the status of The research reactor exists to provide this key nutrient in an individual. Using this process, a MURR senior research scientist, Dr. neutrons – one of the fundamental building blocks of matter – and our research program Steve Morris has, in collaboration with some is as broad and diverse as the world of the premier epidemiology programs in the around us. While there is much yet to be country, demonstrated that men with the discovered, explored, and created – MURR lowest amount of selenium have a much is at the center of this important greater risk of developing prostate cancer. Dr. collaboration of science and art.” Morris is currently participating in the twelve- P APG EG E O U R R A F FOU