The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) team had the pleasure of visiting Western University, in London, Ontario, to meet with leaders from across the University and local partner hospitals to learn about the innovative work on the production and use of medical isotopes in London.
Our visit began at the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre at Victoria Hospital, where we met with Dr. Len Luyt for a tour of the facility and his lab. We also toured the newly re-named Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Department and met with Ryan MacDonald, Director of Medical Imaging at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). It was great to hear directly from Ryan and Dr. Luyt about the innovative work they’re leading at Victoria Hospital, and it was exciting to see their facility, including their new PET machine.
Our visit continued at St. Joseph’s Health Care for a discussion with David Muir, Kate Placide, and Jessica Farmer Bosma from Western University, Dr. Luyt, and Dr. Mike Kovacs, Assistant Scientific Director and Imaging Program Leader. Following a productive discussion, Dr. Kovacs invited the CNIC team for a tour of the Cyclotron facility in the basement of St. Joseph’s. It was fascinating for our team to hear about how Dr. Kovacs and his team keep up with the demand for isotopes both at St. Joseph’s and at hospitals across the region. For the two newest members of the CNIC team, seeing the hard work and dedication that goes into the production of isotopes firsthand was insightful and inspiring.
Some of the technology in Dr. Mike Kovacs’ lab at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where radiopharmaceuticals are processed for use onsite and across Southern Ontario.
Dr. Mike Kovacs, Assistant Scientific Director and Imaging Program Leader, alongside the CNIC Team (L-R: Evan Cameron, Andrew Thiele, Melody Greaves, and Amanda Tieber) standing in front of the Lawson Cyclotron at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Our visit to London concluded at University Hospital, with a roundtable table discussion with hospital leaders, scientists, and physicians. During this discussion, we heard from Dr. Narinder Paul, Chair/Chief of the Department of Medical Imaging, about the work he is leading, both as a clinician at the London Health Sciences Centre, and as a Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the potential role that the CNIC could play in that work. We also enjoyed hearing from Dr. Ting Lee about the many opportunities for innovation within the isotope industry, and the significant potential of several isotopes that are currently in clinical trials.
On behalf of the CNIC team, thank you to Kate Placide and Jessica Farmer Bosma for facilitating such an interesting and educational visit to Western University and its partner hospitals. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the physicians, scientists, and leaders we met with in London, and hope we can continue to find ways to work together to improve patient outcomes and save lives.