An expression of interest in isotopes
U of S joins search for production solution

July 17, 2009

By Colleen MacPherson

The University of Saskatchewan has joined a provincial working group set up to explore how Saskatchewan might provide a solution to the current shortage of medical isotopes in this country.

The working group, co-chaired by Richard Florizone, vice-president of finance and resources, and Iain Harry, Crown Investment Corporation vice-president, was announced by Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in early July. Its mandate is to prepare an expression of interest for Natural Resources Canada’s Expert Review Panel on Medical Isotope Production recommending establishing a national nuclear studies centre of excellence at the university. The expression of interest will include building a nuclear research reactor for both isotope production and neutron science. For Florizone, the centre is a natural fit for the university.

“There’s a national issue that Saskatchewan is pretty well positioned to address. The university has a history of nuclear science that goes back to the cobalt bomb (the Cobalt-60 Beam Therapy Unit developed in 1951 for the treatment of cancer), we have a track record for delivering major science projects, we have a set of interested faculty and we have a strengthening health cluster. With this expression of interest we want to make sure the federal government understands what we would potentially bring to the table.”

Florizone, who has a PhD in nuclear physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), stressed the group is working under extreme time pressure – the call for expressions of interest was made June 19 with a July 31 deadline. "Much more due diligence” would be needed in areas like the kinds of programs a centre of excellence would offer, costs and timelines should the expression of interest be accepted.

Proposals are also expected from McMaster University and the University of British Columbia, among others. The federal panel is to submit its recommendation to the government by Nov. 30.

In addition to Florizone, the university is represented on the Saskatchewan working group by Karen Chad, acting vice-president of research, Dr. William Albritton, dean of the College of Medicine, and Dean Chapman, Canada Research Chair in X-ray Imaging and the university’s special advisor on nuclear initiatives. Other members include representatives from Saskatchewan Health, the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency along with other experts.

Florizone said there are strong ties between the Canadian Light Source synchrotron and a research reactor in that both are used in materials studies. “They would have some of the same users, and some countries are co-locating neutron sources with synchrotrons.” The location of a Saskatoon research reactor has not been determined. 

There is “real powerful logic” in making an expression of interest to the federal panel that “keeps the option open for the province and could be a (isotope) solution for Canada.”