Nano Radioisotopes Research

Using our nuclear reactor, we can produce and characterize radioactive nanostructures for medical applications. These prompt "Nano-Radioisotopes" have the benefit of making radioactive isotopes in nano form ready to use, reducing the need for expensive facilities to manipulate radiochemicals and/or radiopharmaceuticals. Nanostructures created with nuclear radiation have various advantages over chemically produced ones. The reductive potential induced by radiation is instantaneous and uniform throughout the precursor solution. The reducing agent is radiation, which does not contaminate precursor solutions, and avoids future purification steps. Nanostructures produced by radiation are sterilized. Finally, drug products containing nanomaterials and targeting ligands are usually expensive to produce due to low yield processes, while prompt nano radioisotopes have a big uniform volume of reaction with a strong potential driving the reaction.

Learn More

Interested in discussing the research we are working on or learning more? Please contact:

Dr. Carlos H. Castano Giraldo

Associate Professor

Research Interests

Energy, Nuclear materials, Plasma materials interactions, Hydrogen in materials, Radio-electromechanical effects and Nanotechnology.

Dr. Joseph Graham

Associate Professor, Associate Chair of Research and Director of Nuclear Reactor

Research Interests

Radiation effects in ceramics, Radiation solid interactions, Nuclear fuel properties and Nuclear waste forms.