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Image courtesy of UT Energy Institute<\/p>\nNuclear is having a moment, again, and it is an exciting time for innovation across a wide range of applications. At the annual Texas Nuclear Symposium, hosted by The University of Texas at Austin\u2019s Energy Institute as part of Energy Week, faculty members and student experts presented work that is directly contributing to national security, medical and energy advancements.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur researchers are advancing next-generation reactors and fuel cycles, informing energy policy and studying grid integration at scale,\u201d Executive Vice President and Provost William Inboden said in his keynote remarks. \u201cIf we get this right, we will do more than meet rising demand. We will strengthen our economy, expand the frontiers of science and medicine in ways that improve lives across our state and beyond, and promote a more peaceful world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitch Pryor on handling and manufacturing special nuclear materials with robotics:
\nImage courtesy of UT Energy Institute<\/p>\n
Whether conducting routine scans of a reactor, containing a hazardous spill in a laboratory, or tracking adversarial material trade, handling and manufacturing nuclear materials are challenging across medicine, energy and defense industries. Mitch Pryor, a research professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering and co-founder of the Nuclear and Applied Robotics Group, discussed UT\u2019s interdisciplinary research efforts to deploy robotics in hazardous, uncertain environments to perform manufacturing, material handling, mobile survey, mobile manipulation and other tasks.<\/p>\n
Pryor explained the complexity of robotics with an analogy: there is a temptation to build robots to do as many tasks as possible (a Swiss army knife). This leads to higher cost and complexity. The other option is a single purpose robot, which can be expensive to redesign or re-tool if the task changes. What we really want is a robot with access to that \u201ccatch-all\u201d drawer that many people have in their homes. It\u2019s the place that accumulates keys, utensils, tools, coupons and a host of other random items we need, but not often enough to carry with us all the time. We think robots should have the ability to reach into their own robotic \u201cdrawer\u201d to fix any issue.<\/p>\n
Instead, the Nuclear and Applied Robotics Group is developing more adaptable, modular robots that can be rapidly reconfigured in the field. Their small units can exchange new sensors and capabilities, seamlessly switching between items such as a standard camera, thermal imaging and a Compton camera while actively working on a task and without rebooting or prior installation of those devices. This plug-and-play framework allows technicians to quickly adapt robotic systems to changing conditions, whether locating radiation sources, restoring situational awareness during a power outage, or deploying shielding in contaminated spaces.<\/p>\n
Pryor also emphasized the team\u2019s work in augmented reality (AR) and command systems that improve situational awareness. Using AR headsets, technicians see where a robot has already scanned a contaminated space and identified safe walking paths. They can also monitor robot status and take manual control as needed. Going forward, modular and adaptable robotics will continue to support workers in hazardous environments while increasing safety, operational flexibility and response speed.<\/p>\n
William Charlton on advancing nuclear medicine for cancer treatment:<\/p>\n
Nuclear innovation extends beyond energy generation to also include national security and health care advancement. Cancer centers and hospitals, for example, heavily rely on nuclear imaging and medicine for diagnostics and treatment.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where William Charlton, director of the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory and a professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, and his team are focused. Centered on the advancement of nuclear medicine, Charlton discussed UT\u2019s contributions to radiopharmaceuticals and radiotheranostics \u2014 an approach that uses targeted radioactive isotopes to locate and destroy tumors \u2014 for cancer diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n
Charlton emphasized that his research and broader innovations represent a major shift toward personalized medicine, with treatments designed not only for specific cancer types but also for the needs of each patient.<\/p>\n
A large portion of Charlton\u2019s work at UT is the production of medical isotopes, specifically lutetium-177 and samarium-153, through the University\u2019s research reactor. These are used to deliver radiation directly to cancer cells, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues in treatments for metastatic bone cancer and other advanced tumors. Because different tumors require different radiation ranges and energies, selecting the right isotope is critical. Some treatments rely on beta emitters with longer tissue penetration, while others require shorter-range emissions for highly localized therapy.<\/p>\n
The biggest challenge faced by medicine production is time. Once isotope-based treatment is developed, it is already beginning to lose potency. As Charlton\u2019s team works to overcome hurdles in production through irradiation methods and chemical separation techniques that make reactor-produced medical isotopes viable for clinical use, isotopes produced in UT\u2019s reactor are shipped to medical centers, such as the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, for treatment. As the radiopharmaceutical field continues to grow, Charlton\u2019s research is expanding access to highly targeted cancer treatments and laying the framework for the future of precision nuclear medicine.<\/p>\n
Elena Zannoni on next-gen medical scanning for all bodies, organs and scenarios:<\/p>\n
Every patient has different imaging needs. Elderly patients are different from children. Scans of the heart must be approached differently than those of the brain. Different body types impact not only the patient\u2019s comfort, but also the operational efficacy of the imaging system. \u00a0Elena Zannoni, an assistant professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, is removing obstacles by integrating robotics into nuclear medical imaging to develop a highly configurable robot-assisted imaging system that can be used in multiple clinical scenarios, across body types and for organ-specific scans.<\/p>\n
Conventional scanners require patients to lie flat and potentially be placed into a restricted space that can be difficult to maneuver depending on body type and scan location. In contrast, Zannoni\u2019s scanner is attached to a highly flexible \u201carm\u201d capable of multidirectional movement and adaptive imaging. This enables imaging to occur while a patient is standing, sitting, or in a natural position.<\/p>\n
The research extends to surgical applications, where imaging helps physicians identify and remove cancerous tissue. One challenge in oncological surgery is the risk of a small number of cancer cells remaining after a procedure. To address this, Zannoni\u2019s team is developing a multimodal capsule about the size of an AA battery that can be used during minimally invasive surgery. The device combines gamma-ray detection, which reveals metabolic activity and helps locate tumor cells, with stereoscopic optical imaging to provide surgeons with anatomical depth and visual context, helping to improve surgical accuracy.<\/p>\n