\nMILWAUKEE _A UW-Milwaukee chemistry professor and graduates of his lab are helping move production of a vital medical material \u2013 once produced only by foreign sources \u2013 to the United States. <\/p>\n
The material is molybdenum-99, the parent of technetium-99m, the most widely used radioisotope in the world for diagnostic medical imaging, according to 51ÁÔÆæ Chemistry Professor Mark Dietz. (The materials are often abbreviated as Mo-99 and Tc-99m.)<\/p>\n
About 10 years ago, after repeated disruption to supplies of Mo-99 from abroad, the Department of Energy began to encourage the development of new approaches to the production of this critical radioisotope in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Two Wisconsin companies \u2013 NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes in Beloit and SHINE Medical Technologies in Janesville \u2013 took up the challenge of producing the needed Mo-99 domestically. (Foreign companies were using the raw material from highly enriched, reactor grade uranium, which raised some concern about nuclear proliferation.) <\/p>\n
However, the companies needed chemists who were skilled in separations involving radioactive materials. Over the last four years, five graduates of Dietz\u2019s research group, all trained in this highly specialized work, have been hired by these two companies, one on a temporary basis and four others permanently \u2013 two by each company.\u202f<\/p>\n
\u201c51ÁÔÆæ and its graduates have contributed to Wisconsin employers\u2019 ability to solve an issue of national importance,\u201d Dietz said. <\/p>\n
The medical isotope derived from Mo-99 is the workhorse of nuclear medicine. It is used in more than 40 million medical imaging procedures each year for heart patients and cancer diagnosis. <\/p>\n
Cory Hawkins is a 51ÁÔÆæ alum who now works for the therapeutics division at SHINE Technologies. Hawkins\u2019 division is focused on production of lutetium-177 for cancer-targeted radiotherapy.
\n\u201cIt makes me feel good that we are developing diagnostics and therapeutics that can help the critically ill and that we can also fill in a supply gap,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
SHINE has a four-phase vision to build a profitable business and ultimately bring nuclear fusion power to market, he added. The current phase 2 involves radiopharmaceutical production. <\/p>\n
Mohammed Abdul Momen, another 51ÁÔÆæ grad who also works for SHINE, came into the field because he was interested in environmental issues and the safe handling of nuclear materials. <\/p>\n
James Wankowski, who earned his doctorate in 2017, works at NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes. NorthStar has a focus on developing and creating products in an environmentally sound way, and that\u2019s an important part of Wankowski\u2019s work. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy project is essentially taking this critical and expensive raw material and helping us re-use it to benefit our customers and the patients they serve.\u201d <\/p>\n
Kevin Wolters, who completed his doctorate at 51ÁÔÆæ in December 2021, worked in Dietz\u2019s lab and took a long-term temporary position with SHINE Technologies for two and a half years with his professor\u2019s recommendation.
\nHe eventually took a position at Sterling Pharma Solutions in Germantown that involves helping develop drugs. He completed his doctoral degree on weekends while working there.<\/p>\n
Michael Kaul was exposed to the research as an undergraduate at 51ÁÔÆæ. He went on to pursue a doctorate in the field and landed a job at NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes as a process chemist.<\/p>\n
James Harvey, chief science officer of NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, got to know Dietz earlier in both of their careers and has stayed in touch as his firm looks to recruit researchers for its cutting-edge work.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re very impressed with the graduates who have come out of Dr. Dietz\u2019s lab,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey have the skill sets we need in advancing radio imaging manufacturing. They\u2019re well-rounded and hit the ground running.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MILWAUKEE _A UW-Milwaukee chemistry professor and graduates of his lab are helping move production of a vital medical material \u2013 once produced only by foreign sources \u2013 to the United States. The material is molybdenum-99, the parent of technetium-99m, the most widely used radioisotope in the world for diagnostic medical imaging, according to 51ÁÔÆæ Chemistry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":835,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[202],"tags":[],"section":[],"display_categories":[],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[],"class_list":["post-107413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-releases"],"yoast_head":"\n