Undertakes research
ANSTO undertakes research that advances the application of nuclear science and technology in areas as diverse as materials, health, climate change, mining and engineering.
Bragg Institute instrument, Kowari
ANSTO also provides the international research community with state-of-the-art facilities to advance knowledge of how the world works, at the atomic level. At least a third of ANSTO’s employees are involved in research across the various institutes (below).
In the area of health, radiopharmaceutical and radiolabelling techniques are being developed to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. Important work is also being carried out to ensure that radiation doses in radiopharmaceuticals are measured correctly throughout Australia.
Projects of national significance
Another health project of national significance involves the use of neutron and X-ray scattering methods to investigate and determine the structure of food-based systems, such as proteins, with direct applications to food processing and human nutrition.
In materials science, researchers are aiming to design safer, smarter materials and examining the lifetime and integrity of existing materials in major infrastructure projects. They are also involved in national security, including forensics research. Through the Institute of Environmental
Research (IER) ANSTO scientists using nuclear-based techniques to understand and track climate change, providing practical, science based advice to decision makers.
Research institutes
To manage its research portfolio effectively, ANSTO is organised into four institutes:
The Bragg Institute leads Australia in the use of neutron beam scattering and X-ray science to solve complex research and industrial problems in fields as diverse as plastics, minerals, engineering, pharmaceuticals, electronics and biology. Founded in 2002 and named in honour of the Nobel Prize-winning Australians William and Lawrence Bragg, the centrepiece of the Bragg Institute’s activities is the OPAL research reactor which, along with its state-of-the-art neutron-beam instruments, attracts researchers around the world.
The Institute for Environmental Research (IER) has a research commitment aimed at understanding the factors involved in climate change. IER researchers use nuclear-based facilities and techniques to explore a range of environmental issues and aim to provide practical, science-based improvements to managing and alleviating climate change.
IER’s environmental staff have expertise in biology, chemistry, geology, hydrology, oceanography, atmospheric science and physics. Research and analysis of the earth's past climate system, archived in corals, tree rings, ocean sediments, glacial rocks and ice cores is enhancing the community’s knowledge of past climate variability, allowing decision makers to make informed decisions about the future.
The Institute of Materials Engineering (IME) offers materials and engineering expertise to increase the competitiveness of industry. It also makes its facilities available to external researchers. A team made up of ceramicists, metallurgists, physicists, chemists, engineers and earth scientists are involved in a wide range of projects, from studying the structural integrity and lifetime of building materials, to counter terrorism and forensics research. The scope of work covers nanotechnology, biotechnology and biomedicine.
The Radiopharmaceutical Research Institute (RRI) develops radiopharmaceutical technology for biomedical imaging. RRI's researchers collaborate with scientists and clinicians around the world to develop radiopharmaceutical and radiolabelling techniques to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. Important work is also being carried out to ensure that radiation doses in radiopharmaceuticals are measured correctly throughout Australia.