Biotechnology

Nuclear Biotechnology

For the last 4 years, the Northwest Nuclear Consortium has sought to leverage their work in building the IEC-9000 fusion reactor as a neutron source to explore a critical cancer fighting tool in the area of oncology.  That technology is called Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, or BNCT.  It has been researched in several different countries, and offers the promise of distinguishing between healthy cells, and tumor cells in applied therapy.  We have successfully brought new idea's to the table, and won 3rd place in transitional medicine in the 2016 Intel International Science Fair. 

Today, we have several teams of researchers working to refine this technology, as it is one of the few tools that can counter brain tumors of the  glioblastoma multiforme variety.  We have also acquired a Jeol 840A Scanning Electron Microscope with which to examine the results of our irradiation of specimens.  The scopes capacity to do material science is also aiding in the study of fusion.