Developing new cancer treatments requires more than breakthrough medicines. It also depends on the ability to safely produce medical isotopes—the specialized radioactive materials that make those therapies possible. Improving access to these critical medical isotopes remains one of the field’s most significant challenges.

At the University of Utah, Ph.D. candidate Nicholas Becker is dedicating his research to strengthening the production pipeline of medical isotopes that fuel next-generation cancer therapies—and the results of this research garnered a top honor from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOT).

Becker has been selected for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program, which recognizes outstanding graduate students conducting innovative, high-impact research. He is among only 75 Ph.D. students nationwide in the selective program.

His award-winning proposal, “Developing a Pathway for the Preclinical Supply of 230U and 226Th,” focuses on improving the production and supply of radionuclides used in targeted alpha therapy (TAT), an emerging form of cancer treatment designed to deliver highly concentrated radiation directly to tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Working under the mentorship of Dr. Tara Mastren, associate professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and one of the nation’s front-runners is in TAT and isotope production, Becker is developing new methods to improve both the purification of uranium-230 and the production of thorium-226—isotopes with strong potential for future cancer therapies.

Yet the widespread study and clinical development of theses crucial assets in TAT have been limited by supply constraints and technical barriers.

Becker is creating more reliable pathways for producing these therapeutic isotopes by combing nuclear chemistry, radiopharmaceutical science, and advanced materials research. His research has already demonstrated promising early results, including a novel nanoparticle-based generator system designed to efficiently separate and recover thorium-226 while withstanding the intense radiation environments associated with alpha-emitting radionuclides.

The DOE award recognizes not only the scientific merit of Becker’s proposal, but also its potential impact on the future of cancer treatment and isotope production in the United States. His research aligns with national priorities identified by the DOE Isotope Program and reflects the University of Utah’s broader commitment to addressing complex, real-world challenges through innovative engineering and scientific research.

Becker’s achievement also highlights the growing leadership of the University of Utah in nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceutical science, as well as the collaborative mentorship and cutting-edge research environment fostered within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.