Reversing The TrendRadiochemistry at the University of Missouri-
ColumbiaJ. David Robertson
Silvia Jurisson
Susan Lever
Department of Chemistry,
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
Radiochemistry in Chemistry Departments
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
Nu
mb
er
PhDs in Nuclear & Radiochemistry Awarded at US Universities
05
10152025303540
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
Nu
mb
er
Data courtesy of S.B. Clark, Washington State University
1 Radiochemist per Department
Below “critical mass”
Reversing the Trend: University of Missouri Radiochemistry
1978 Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Training of Nuclear and Radiochemists, Division of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, American Chemical Society
Surveyed the status and future needs and supplies of manpower in nuclear and radiochemistry in the U.S.
1. The numbers of nuclear and radiochemistry faculty members were decreasing
2. There were few practicing radiochemists
3. Negative public perception had led to student reluctance to enter the field
4. The supply of students trained in these and related areas fell far short of meeting the projected national needs
Workshop on Training Requirements for Chemists in Nuclear Medicine, Nuclear Industry, and Related Areas National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 1988.
Participants from academic institutions, national laboratories, the nuclear power industry, the nuclear medicine community, the pharmaceutical industry, and government. Each panel concluded:
1. There was a serious shortage of chemists with a background in nuclear and radiochemistry
2. There was a serious shortage of bona fide nuclear and radiochemists
The Education and Training of Isotope Experts
A study for the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment of The Committee on Science of the U.S. House of Representatives, Members of the Senior Scientists and Engineers of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1998
Study found “no recovery from the very serious diminution of the U.S. educational capability in isotope science and technology.”
From the 30 institutions in nuclear and radiochemistry responding to their survey, the data for numbers of graduates and numbers of fulltime faculty showed no improvement from the previous 1987 survey.
2007 NAS Report
Advancing Nuclear Medicine Through Innovation
Shortage of individuals being trained in radiochemistry and radiopharmaceutical chemistry
Journal of Nuclear Medicine 43:11N, 2002.
“while the spectacular benefits of nuclear and molecular imaging and targeted radiotherapy have long been recognized and are becoming more commonplace, there is a major inadequacy of supply of radiochemists and radiopharmacists to meet the ever increasing demands in the U.S. and around the world.”
Chemistry Department Radiochemistry Program
3 Chemistry Faculty– Silvia Jurisson—inorganic/radiochemistry– Susan Lever—organic/radiopharmaceutical
chemistry – Dave Robertson—radioanalytical/nuclear
chemistryRadiochemistry Courses at MU
– Introduction to Radiochemistry (with lab)• 35 to 45 students each year• Chemistry, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Medicine
– Advanced Radiochemistry– Nuclear Chemistry– Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry– Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Medicine– Radiation Biology
University of Missouri MS and PhD Radiochemistry Students
• 26 PhD Graduates in Radiochemistry (1995 – 2007)– 10 US Citizens– Academia, Industry, National Labs
• 8 MS Graduates in Radiochemistry (1995 – 2007)– 3 US Citizens– Industry
• 20 Current Radiochemistry Graduate Students– 13 US Citizens
University of Missouri MS and PhD Radiochemistry Students
• REAP students:
• Dr. Paul Benny, Washington State University
• Dr. Jim Gawenis, University of Utah
• Dr. Leah Arrigo, SRNL Staff Scientist
• NSF graduate fellow:
• Dr. Rachel Popelka, NRC Postdoc at NIST
NIBIB Graduate Training (NIH T32) in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry at University of Missouri (2007-2012)
Chemistry DepartmentUniversity of
Missouri
Silvia Jurisson (PI) Susan Lever (Co-PI) Martin
Brechbiel (site PI)
Internships at the NCI or BNL
JoannaFowler (site PI)
Radiochemistry NSF REU 04 - 07
REU Program
• 5 students in S04, 10-12 students S05-S07
• No Previous Exposure
• Weekly radiochemistry lecture
• Weekly literature discussion
Interdisciplinary Radiochemistry at the University of Missouri
• 10 MW University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR)
• 16.8 MeV Cyclotron Facility• Radiopharmaceutical Science Institute• Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute
Initial criticality was attained on October 13, 1966.
Designed and constructed to operate at 5 megawatts, the facility was upgraded to 10 megawatts in 1974.
6.5 day per week operation.
The compact core is surrounded by beryllium and graphite reflectors:
• Isotope Production
• Radiopharmaceutical
• Radioanalytical
• Archaeometry
• Epidemiology
• Environmental Science
University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR)
16th Bi-annual SSAC course
• Rebecca Stevens (LANL, Director)• Douglas E. Berning (LANL, Co-director)• J. David Robertson (University of Missouri – Columbia)• John Gahl (University of Missouri – Columbia)• Michael Flagg (University of Missouri – Columbia)• John McClelland-Kerr (Department of Energy)• Vladimir Cisar (International Atomic Energy Agency)
• May 20th – June 1st 2007• Columbia, MO• Directed by Los Alamos National Laboratory• Hosted by the University of Missouri – Columbia
and the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR)
• Sponsored by the IAEA, Department of Energy, and Department of State
• 39 participants from 33 countries attended the course
State Systems of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear
Materials • Goal: – Provide participants with an in-depth
understanding of the requirements of a state in fulfilling its international safeguards obligations
• Objectives:– Demonstrated safeguards concepts
• Lectures, workshops, and visits to model facility (MURR)
• Question and answer session with panel group
– Panel group was comprised of personnel from countries with established SSAC programs
SSAC Group Photos
Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute (NSEI)
Core Faculty• Bill Miller• Sudarshan Loyolka• Mark Prelas• Tushar Ghosh• Bill Thompson• Wynn Volkert (Joint)• Dave Robertson (Joint)• Silvia Jurisson (Joint)• Mike Glascock (Joint)• John Gahl (Joint)
Department• Nuclear Engineering• Nuclear Engineering• Nuclear Engineering• Nuclear Engineering• Nuclear Engineering• Radiology• Chemistry• Chemistry• MURR• Electrical Engineering
Nuclear Energy Technology NETwork Center
Dr. William Miller, NSEI & MURR Randy Etter, Gayla Neumeyer, MURR
Radiation Protection Technician program • DOL grant• 79 students enrolled at ATC/Linn State• Program partners AZ, CA, VA, TX
Nuclear Quality Control Technician program• NRC grant• F08
UMC Medical School – Dept. of Internal MedicineDivision of Hematology & Medical Oncology
Michael C. Perry, M.D., FACPTimothy J. Hoffman, Ph.D.Carolyn J. Henry, D.V.M.**
Yubin Miao, Ph.D.*Lixin Ma, Ph.D*
Research Oncologist (New Recruit)
Scientific Collaboration Overview
RadiopharmaceuticalSciencesInstitute
*Primary Appointment**Joint Appointment
UMC Medical SchoolDept. of RadiologyWynn R. Volkert, Ph.D.*
Thomas P. Quinn, Ph.D.**Kattesh V. Katti, Ph.D.**John R. Lever, Ph.D.**
Jeff Smith, Ph.D**Bennett S. Greenspan, M.D.
Amolak Singh, M.D.
U.S. Dept. of Veterans AffairsH.S. Truman Memorial VA Hospital
Wynn A. Volkert, Ph.D.Timothy J. Hoffman, Ph.D.*Susan L. Deutscher, Ph.D.
Michael R. Lewis, Ph.D.John R. Lever, Ph.D.
Leonard R. Forte, Ph.D.*Thomas P. Dresser, M.D.
Jeff Smith, Ph.D.Yubin Miao, Ph.D.
Vladislav Glinskii, M.D.Ed Sauter, M.D.
Silvia Jurisson, Ph.D.
UMC College ofVeterinary MedicineMichael R. Lewis, Ph.D.*Carolyn J. Henry, D.V.M.*Jimmy C. Lattimer, D.V.M.
UMC Medical SchoolDept. of Biochemistry
Thomas P. Quinn, Ph.D.*Susan L. Deutscher, Ph.D.*
Wynn A. Volkert, Ph.D.**Vladislav Glinskii, M.D.*
Yubin Miao, Ph.D.**
UMC – College of Arts & ScienceDept. of ChemistrySilvia S. Jurisson, Ph.D.Susan Z. Lever, Ph.D.**Wynn A. Volkert, Ph.D.**
MU Research Reactor CenterAlan R. Ketring, Ph.D.
Cathy Cutler, Ph.D.Gary Ehrhardt, Ph.D.
Kattesh V. Katti, Ph.D.**Susan Z. Lever, Ph.D,**
Jeff Smith, Ph.D.**
UMC Medical Physiology & Pharmacology
Leonard R. Forte, Ph.D.*John Lever**
TJH-4/2004Faculty and Scientists Currently Funded or Actively Collaborating in Radiopharmaceutical Research
UMC Dept. of SurgeryEd Sauter, M.D.*
The 2008 Survey of Graduate Education and
Manpower Needs in Nuclear and Radiochemistry?