The first set of ANSTO organisational changes driven by its new strategic plan were revealed today when three new research institutes – the institutes for Nuclear Geophysiology, Materials and Engineering Science and the Radiopharmaceutical Research – were announced, set up to clearly distinguish ANSTO’s research projects from its other work.
According to Executive Director Dr Ian Smith, who in May will celebrate his first anniversary in the job, the institutes signify a new era at ANSTO with a key focus on research quality, its relevance, applications and results.
“This new approach is particularly well illustrated in the name given to the Institute of Nuclear Geophysiology, as it truly reflects the work of its environmental scientists who use nuclear tools in the form of isotopes to trace the Earth’s inner and outer workings,” said Dr Smith.
“Their work can be compared to that of a nuclear physician, who uses radiopharmaceuticals in our bodies to diagnose disease and assign treatment.
“There are exciting new methods being used and developed by ANSTO researchers that could inform the way we currently predict climate change and understand how the planet responds to human influences, so the name does an excellent job of capturing its essence,” he said.
The Materials and Engineering Science Institute will focus on research in areas such as immobilising and securing radioactive waste, metal stress, development of nuclear fuel for ANSTO’s replacement reactor, OPAL, and nanotechnology for the controlled encapsulation and release of chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
The new Radiopharmaceuticals Research Institute incorporates the bulk of ANSTO’s health research, developing new diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and conducting joint research with key nuclear medicine facilities.
“This research has the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of and treatment for diseases, with some clinical trials already underway,” said Dr Smith.
The three new institutes join the Bragg Institute which was established in 2002 and is the country’s leading neutron and x-ray research centre.
“The Bragg Institute’s ground-breaking neutron scattering expertise, centred around our new reactor, OPAL, and its capabilities, will place Australia at the forefront of this research internationally,” Dr Smith continued. “The Bragg Institute is likely to attract some of the world’s best scientists to conduct their research with us.
“ANSTO has a strong future and I believe this new approach will enhance the organisation’s sense of oneness, with the shared goal of being an international centre of excellence in nuclear science and technology.”
More details about ANSTO’s new direction will be revealed within the next few weeks when it publishes its strategic plan, which has been one of the key focuses of Dr Smith’s first year in office.