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Nuclear energy

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and University of Ottawa Partner to Accelerate Low Dose Radiation Research

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and the University of Ottawa have entered a new partnership to advance knowledge and research in low dose radiation (LDR) health effects. This collaboration builds on CNL's global leadership in LDR research and will accelerate critical research necessary for public safety and the health of Canadians. The partnership will also increase education and training opportunities for graduate students and early career researchers, positioning the University of Ottawa as a national and international leader in LDR research.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partnership aims to accelerate research in low dose radiation health effects, leveraging CNL's global leadership in the field.
  • The collaboration will establish a CNL-led LDR innovation hub, which will increase capabilities, education, and training opportunities for graduate students and early career researchers.
  • The partnership will extend uOttawa researchers' access to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's world-class facilities at Chalk River Laboratories, including the unique Biological Research Facility, associated irradiation facilities, and LDR Tissue Bank.
  • A CNL satellite laboratory will be established within uOttawa's new Advanced Medical Research Centre (AMRC), which will support new research directions in radiation sciences and advanced organoid-based systems biology.
  • CNL will contribute towards the acquisition of a mass spectrometer, which will be installed in the Metabolomics Core Facility at uOttawa, enabling leading-edge single-cell metabolomics and spatial metabolomics.
  • The partnership builds on over a decade of collaborative research between CNL and uOttawa, including studies on DNA damage and repair, protein synthesis, epigenetics, mitochondrial biology, metabolism, immunity, and stem cell functions.
  • CNL has also provided funding support for postdoctoral fellow stipends, further enabling high-impact research and talent development.

Statistics:

  • CNL is contributing towards the acquisition of a mass spectrometer, which will be installed in the Metabolomics Core Facility at uOttawa.
  • The mass spectrometer will be the only equipment of its kind in eastern Canada, offering unique capabilities for high-resolution chemical imaging at the cellular level.
  • The partnership will also extend uOttawa researchers' access to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's world-class facilities at Chalk River Laboratories, including the unique Biological Research Facility, associated irradiation facilities, and LDR Tissue Bank.
  • CNL has provided funding support for postdoctoral fellow stipends, benefiting high-impact research and talent development.
  • The partnership builds on over a decade of collaborative research between CNL and uOttawa, with 10+ years of joint research endeavors.

Sources:

  • GlobeNewswire: Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and the University of Ottawa Accelerate Low Dose Radiation Research and Foster Next Generation of Scientists (June 09, 2025)
  • CNL: About CNL (www.cnl.ca)
  • University of Ottawa: About the University of Ottawa (www.uottawa.ca)

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