Webinars

Join Dr Christian Diget to explore how atomic nuclei are made, from astrophysical processes to cutting-edge experiments. Journey through the nuclear chart, discovering the properties of the building blocks of our universe, and investigate how the many and varied isotopes are critical to our daily lives. 

Dr Christian Diget is a lecturer at the University of York and academic lead on the Binding Blocks project, which engages young people and the public with nuclear physics. He is an experimental nuclear physicist, and his research focuses on understanding nuclear reactions in exploding stars, as well as developing new cancer therapies based on radioactive nuclear isotopes.   

The mystery of our cosmic origins has captivated humankind for centuries. At the heart of this grand puzzle lies a profound question: how were the very elements that make up our world—and are essential to life itself—first created? Many of these building blocks were forged in the fiery cores of stars through powerful nuclear reactions. But how do these processes unfold, and how did these elements journey from distant stars to Earth?

At TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator center, scientists are delving into these cosmic mysteries using the DRAGON (Detector of Recoils And Gammas Of Nuclear reactions) recoil separator. This state-of-the-art instrument allows researchers to study the nuclear reactions responsible for element formation in stellar environments. By recreating the nuclear fusion reactions that happen in the extreme conditions inside stars, DRAGON allows us to measure reaction rates with high precision, shedding light on the cosmic origins of elements. These insights refine our understanding of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis, bringing us closer to answering fundamental questions about the universe and our place in it. 

Dr. Annika Lennarz is a research physicist at TRIUMF, Canada's particle accelerator center. Working as part of the Nuclear Science Specialists group, Annika contributes to the ongoing development of TRIUMF’s Advanced Rare Isotope Laboratory (ARIEL) and collaborates to support existing experiments: DRAGON, GRIFFIN, TIGRESS, DESCANT, and more. 

By harnessing the process that powers the Sun and stars, fusion has the potential to provide a safe, abundant source of low carbon energy. The first of its kind, STEP - the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production - is a programme that includes building a prototype fusion powerplant in the UK. This will pave the way for the potential development of a fleet of future fusion powerplants around the world.

Shaped like a cored apple, STEP's spherical tokamak design is unique and revolutionary. Join us to hear from Howard Wilson, Director of Science and Technology at STEP, to find out about this exciting, innovative project and the science that underpins it.  

Prof. Howard Wilson joined UK Industrial Fusion Solutions as the Director of Science and Technology in 2025 from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, where he was the Fusion Pilot Plant R&D Lead. Prior to that, he was Professor of Plasma Physics at the University of York, where he established and led the York Plasma Institute and Fusion Centre for Doctoral Training. During that time, he was seconded part-time to UK Atomic Energy Authority (2017-20), where he served initially as Research Programme Director and then as the first (interim) Director for STEP.  In his role at UKIFS, he will oversee research in support of the plasma solution for STEP and lead on the science and innovative technologies needed in the design of the STEP Prototype Plant.

The use of radionuclides has become increasingly common in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Combining suitable radionuclides with selective delivery systems, such as antibodies or peptides, enables the creation of targeted radionuclide diagnostics and therapies. These enhance imaging accuracy while minimising damage to healthy tissues during treatment.

Medical radionuclides are primarily produced from two sources: cyclotrons, which use protons; and reactors, which use neutrons. Alternatively, radionuclide generator systems offer a cyclotron/reactor-independent method, in which a parent radionuclide serves as a source for a shorter-lived daughter radionuclide.

In this webinar, Dr. Valery Radchenko discusses how medical radionuclides are designed and made in order to advance medical imaging and targeted cancer treatment.  

Dr. Valery Radchenko is a Research Scientist at TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre, and an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, Chemistry Department. His main research focus is on the production and application of therapeutic radionuclides for Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT). He also serves as a consultant at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  He is a radiochemist by training and graduated from Saint-Petersburg State Technical University (Russian Federation) in collaboration with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna (Russian Federation). He received his PhD from Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) in 2013 with a thesis focused on the design of production of a promising radionuclide for immuno-PET: Nb-90. Realising the potential of targeted therapy, he pursued a postdoctoral position at Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, where he worked as a part of the tri-lab effort on the production of Ac-225 from spallation of thorium with high-energy protons.