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Project Description
Beginning in 1978, a portion of the effort at the Accelerator Laboratory was directed toward the investigation of new methods in the
treatment of cancer. The program was started with the assistance of the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and has subsequently been supported by the National Cancer Institute of the
Department of Health and Human Services. The idea behind this research is that radiotherapy with neutron beams appears to be superior to conventional x-ray and Cobalt therapy in the treatment of certain
types of cancer. There are no plans to make Ohio University a clinical center for the treatment of cancer patients, but the unique research capabilities of this laboratory make it an appropriate place to
study the basic interaction between neutrons and those elements (carbon, oxygen and nitrogen) which make up the bulk of malignant tissue.
Research
The laboratory is also well equipped for study of (n,z) reactions, that is, processes in which a neutron strikes a nucleus and releases a charged particle. These (n,z) reactions are of importance
in radiation therapy for cancer as well as fusion reactor design. The combination of a high current accelerator, a long neutron flight path in the new tunnel, and a pair of "state-of-the-art"
(n,z) spectrometers makes it possible to study at Ohio University problems which include questions as fundamental as how nuclei are held together and as applied as measuring numbers needed for
implementing cancer therapy.
Applications
Certain applied areas of research have also been studied such as the production of short-lived
(radioactive) isotopes for use in medical diagnoses, production of very high neutron intensity to observe possible sputtering effects (material damage from intense radiation) and proton-induced x-ray
emission (PIXE) with a microprobe beam which can detect very minute traces of chemical elements as might be required in a scientific criminal investigation.
Schedule
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Phase Name
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End Date
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Phase 1
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July 15, 1999
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Principal Contact
Dr. Steven M. Grimes
Professor
Email: GRIMES@oual3.phy.ohiou.edu
Phone: (740) 593-1979
Accelerator Lab 204
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