A Dorset company is pioneering a new technology that could 'revolutionise cancer diagnosis and treatment'.
Dr Tom Wallace-Smith, from Poole, and Talmon Firestone are the brains behind Astral Systems – the newest company at the Dorset Innovation Park in Winfrith.
They are helping hospitals tackle a growing backlog in cancer diagnosis and treatment caused by the Covid pandemic with their Multi-State Fusion (MSF) Reactor.
UK hospitals are said to rely on three giant nuclear power plants in Europe and South Africa for medical isotopes.
These are used to scan for cancer and to treat tumours and cancerous cells.
However, nuclear plants have a shelf life and many are due to close by 2030.
They must also temporarily shut down for maintenance which can cause delays in getting these potentially lifesaving isotopes to hospitals.
But thanks to Astral Systems and its MSF reactor, medical isotopes will soon be produced at a much smaller scale and more quickly.
Tom, 28, invented the MSF Reactor while studying for his PHD and working on placement in Japan at a nuclear reactor in Osaka, Japan.
Astral was formed in 2021 and was awarded a £1m research grant in partnership with Bristol University to optimise and commercialise its technology while also demonstrating medical radioisotope production.
Astral has recently completed a £200,000 research contract with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) to set up their fusion reactor facility at the Dorset Innovation Park to undertake fusion materials research.
Tom has designed his own seven-and-a-half tonne radiation-proof bunker to allow him to carry out his research at the Winfrith-based innovation park.
He said: “The MSF Reactor provides a ‘now’ solution at a much lower cost and with less environmental impact, it can alleviate shortages in the near term. This is fusion technology that can solve real-world problems now.”
Astral is now bidding for another £1.5m grant from the UKAE’s Fusion Industry Programme to carry out more research. If successful, Tom and Talmon will look to open a larger site on the Dorset Innovation Park.
For Tom, it’s particularly special to have found his base at “home”.
“I grew up in Poole and my parents currently live a short distance from the Dorset Innovation Park,” he said.
“This was once home to the UKAEA and it was their funding that enabled us to open our base here - it feels like we’ve come full circle. I’m very proud to have our company based in Dorset.”
The Dorset Innovation Park is owned by Dorset Council and is currently home to more than 40 businesses, employing around 1,200 people.
Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Economic Regeneration, Cllr Simon Gibson, said: “We are incredibly proud to have a site like the Dorset Innovation Park and companies such as Astral Systems based there.
“The technology Astral Systems is producing is ground-breaking and potentially lifesaving. It will surely not only have a tremendous impact on the lives of people in the UK but also around the world.”
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