Medical Isotopes Topic of Friday Seminar at WSU Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. — “Medical Isotope Production and Use” is the topic of a nuclear engineering professional development seminar this Friday, March 20, at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
 
The hour-long seminar starts at noon in Room 210 of the West Building, 2710 University Drive, Richland. It also is being broadcast via videoconference to Murrow 52 at WSU Pullman. Admission is free and open to the public.
 
The speaker is Darrell Fisher, senior scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. He specializes in the dosimetry and biological effects of radioisotopes in the body.
 
“More than 60 different radioisotopes are used in medical applications and health research,” Fisher said. “They are critical tools for diagnosing and treating cancer.
 
“Many of the important commercial radioisotopes and most of the amounts consumed in the U.S. are imported from other countries, such as Canada, Russia, Belgium and France. Radioisotopes can be difficult and expensive to produce, and usually require highly specialized facilities.
 
“Many important radioisotopes are not currently available and, as a result, we are experiencing a crisis in availability that is impacting healthcare and research,” Fisher said. “Our scientific challenge is to optimize production to minimize the cost and maximize the usefulness of any isotope for its specific application.”
 
Fisher holds adjunct faculty appointments in environmental sciences, English, and pharmaceutical sciences at Washington State University, and in radiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
 
The Spring 2009 nuclear engineering seminar series is coordinated by Richard Stout as part of the WSU Tri-Cities Engineering program. Stout is a nuclear physicist and is president of the Eastern Washington section of the American Nuclear Society.
 
For more details on the nuclear-related engineering courses offered at WSU Tri-Cities, visit www.tricity.wsu.edu/nuclearengineering or contact Academic Director Scott Hudson at 509-372-7254 or shudson@tricity.wsu.edu.
 
WSU Tri-Cities is located along the Columbia River in Richland, Wash. Established in 1989 with upper division and graduate programs, WSU Tri-Cities offers 17 baccalaureate, 12 master’s and six doctoral degree programs. The campus added freshman and sophomore courses in fall 2007 to become a full four-year public university, extending the WSU land-grant mission of providing affordable, accessible higher education. For more information, call 509-372-7250 or visit www.tricity.wsu.edu.