Neutron Therapeutics’ Accelerator Receives Final Acceptance at University of Birmingham’s High Flux Accelerator-Driven Neutron Facility
First-of-its-kind facility to enable research into effects of neutrons in a variety of fields, including nuclear energy, nuclear science and boron neutron capture therapy
December 13, 2023 07:00 AM EST – BOSTON & BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom.
Neutron Therapeutics, a leading developer of accelerator-based neutron systems for targeted radiation therapy of solid tumors, today announced that its compact accelerator has received final acceptance for use at the University of Birmingham’s High Flux Accelerator-Driven Neutron Facility. This first-of-its-kind facility will enable research into the effects of neutrons in a variety of fields, including nuclear energy, nuclear science and boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).
“The University of Birmingham’s neutron facility brings together a wide community of researchers in fields ranging from fundamental nuclear physics, to nuclear materials, to radiation oncology, and we are honored to be part of this initiative,” said Noah Smick, Ph.D., president and chief operating officer of Neutron Therapeutics.
This facility is the United Kingdom’s first high-flux neutron test facility. It is part of the U.K.’s National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) program and is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Capabilities of the accelerator include:
- Nominal proton current of 30 mA
- Nominal proton energy of 2.6 MeV
- Typical neutron yield of 3×10^13 primary neutrons per second
“This is a terrific milestone for the development of the U.K.’s portfolio of experimental facilities to support the rapidly developing nuclear energy sector with new developments associated with small-modular, advanced-modular and fusion reactors,” said Professor Martin Freer, director of the Birmingham Energy Institute (BEI). “The High Flux Accelerator-Driven Neutron Facility is a transformational research platform which will allow a series of fundamental research questions to be addressed.”
In addition to research in nuclear energy and science, the facility can be used for pre-clinical research in boron neutron capture therapy, a precision medicine approach that is being advanced to treat cancer by destroying cancerous cells while minimizing the impact to surrounding healthy tissues.
“The compact accelerator at the University of Birmingham’s neutron facility provides an excellent environment for researchers conducting pre-clinical research in boron neutron capture therapy,” said Professor Stuart Green, director of medical physics at University Hospital Birmingham. “This reemerging modality for treating cancer is showing potential to transform how the medical community approaches difficult-to-treat cancers, such as glioblastomas and head and neck cancers, and we look forward to supporting necessary and important research in BNCT at this facility.”
About Neutron Therapeutics
Neutron Therapeutics is a leading provider of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) systems for use in targeted radiation therapy of solid tumors. Neutron Therapeutics’ flagship product, the nuBeam® therapy platform, is a compact, in-hospital neutron source designed to replace legacy nuclear reactors for BNCT. The nuBeam® system offers a higher neutron flux compared to competing systems and meets stringent reference values published by the International Atomic Energy Agency. www.neutrontherapeutics.com
About the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.