King’s College London and McMaster University Forge Partnership to Advance Nuclear Medicine
The collaboration is intended to advance nuclear medicine research and training and will see both partners leveraging their world-leading nuclear research facilities and expertise to develop novel production methods for radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals. These will be used to support the discovery and development of new health interventions.
Researchers and students from King’s and McMaster will visit their partner’s institution, where they will collaborate on research at world-class nuclear facilities and participate in joint training opportunities and skills-building workshops.
There is an increasing global need for new radiopharmaceuticals and a shortage of skilled scientists. King’s has developed a strategy of integration in nuclear medicine research with collaborative groups of scientists and clinicians that complements the expert scientists and capabilities at McMaster. We are excited to work together to drive innovation in nuclear medicine and unique training opportunities.
Professor Steve Archibald, Head of Department for Imaging Chemistry and Biology, King’s College London.
McMaster is thrilled to work with King’s to advance research in nuclear medicine – a field that continues to play an essential role in global healthcare. Together, we will use our expertise and infrastructure to develop new radiation-based diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, and provide training to the next generation of nuclear scientists in Canada and the UK.
Karin Stephenson, Director of Nuclear Research and Education Support. McMaster University
The School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences (BMEIS) at King’s trains the next generation of biomedical engineers, imaging scientists and radiochemists and prioritises collaboration between researchers, clinicians and industry.
King’s is an internationally leading institution in the delivery of fundamental and translational nuclear medicine research. BMEIS provides access to the Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology (ICaB), Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Laboratory (CARL), the PET Centre and the Positron Emitting Radiopharmaceutical Laboratory (PERL) all co-located at St Thomas’ Hospital in the centre of London.
McMaster is a world-leading supplier of medical isotopes and home to a unique suite of nuclear research facilities, including the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, a 16.5 MeV cyclotron, and a high-level laboratory facility, where scientists and graduate students perform radioisotope processing, radiotracer production, radiopharmaceutical development and radiation biology research.
The King’s and McMaster research partnership will focus on cyclotron targetry development and radionuclide production, including the optimised production of 94mTc for positron emissions tomography (PET) scans.
Researchers and students will perform hands-on work at McMaster’s nuclear facilities and King’s CARL research facility, including designing, machining and optimising solid and liquid targets for radionuclide production, which can then be translated to deliver clinical trials.
The partners will also collaborate to deliver unique learning opportunities for students and professionals interested in or currently involved in the field of nuclear medicine.
Available to senior graduate students and early-career professionals, McMaster and King’s are hosting the Next Generation in Nuclear Medicine Workshop from June 12 – 14 at McMaster.