CNL and University of Ottawa Forge Partnership for Low Dose Radiation Research

On June 9, 2025, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) announced a pivotal partnership aimed at enhancing research and education in low dose radiation (LDR) exposure effects, a significant area of study for public health and safety. This collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed at CNL's Chalk River Laboratories, is designed to bolster Canada's international leadership in LDR research while fostering the next generation of scientists in the field.

The partnership capitalizes on the complementary strengths of both organizations. CNL, recognized globally for its expertise in nuclear science and technology, will lead an innovation hub dedicated to LDR research. Dr. Stephen Bushby, Vice-President of Science & Technology at CNL, remarked, "As a major player in the global research and development effort to support LDR research, CNL is focused on the prevention or reduction of radiation exposure effects in workers, patients and the larger population. We are very excited to include uOttawa as a major partner in the work needed to shed light on this complex field of research."

This collaboration is particularly important as it will provide uOttawa researchers access to CNL's world-class facilities, including the Biological Research Facility and the LDR Tissue Bank. Additionally, a new CNL satellite laboratory will be established within uOttawa’s forthcoming Advanced Medical Research Centre (AMRC), which is scheduled to open in 2026. This facility will not only support research in radiation sciences but will also enhance capabilities in advanced organoid-based systems biology, a rapidly developing area at uOttawa.

Julie St-Pierre, Interim Vice-President of Research and Innovation at uOttawa, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, "This new equipment will position the University of Ottawa as a leader in metabolomics and precision health research while attracting national and international collaborations."

Under this initiative, CNL will contribute to acquiring a mass spectrometer for the Metabolomics Core Facility at uOttawa. This state-of-the-art instrument will be the only one of its kind in Eastern Canada, facilitating high-resolution chemical imaging at the cellular level and serving both local researchers and attracting international collaborations. The mass spectrometer will be integral to the new Spatial Biology and Single-Cell Suite (3S) within the AMRC, which aims to integrate various advanced technologies enhancing research capabilities in critical areas such as brain, heart, and cancer biology.

The partnership builds on over a decade of collaborative research between CNL and uOttawa, spanning multiple faculties, including Engineering, Science, and Medicine. This ongoing collaboration has yielded significant advancements in understanding the biomedical impacts of low dose radiation, particularly in areas of DNA damage and repair, protein synthesis, mitochondrial biology, and stem cell functions. Furthermore, CNL has committed funding to support postdoctoral fellow stipends, thereby enhancing talent development and high-impact research initiatives in this vital field.

As the landscape of low dose radiation research continues to evolve, both CNL and uOttawa are poised to explore additional opportunities to strengthen their partnership. This strategic collaboration not only underscores the importance of LDR research in safeguarding public health but also enhances Canada's position as a leader in scientific research and innovation. With the anticipated growth in this research field, the partnership aims to drive breakthroughs that could have profound implications for health and safety standards in Canada and beyond.