Local MPs Get Up Close and Personal with the Cyclotron
by Marcello Bernardo
Ever since the 28-ton cyclotron was lowered into its bunker inside the Health Services Centre one year ago, it has become a symbol of improved health care and increased patient-focused research opportunities. The amount of interest and excitement in the community about this high-tech device also remains at an all time high.
During the month of January, in two separate visits, the team at the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI) welcomed Mr. Don Rusnak, MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, and The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women and MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North. The tours, led by Dr. Mike Campbell, Director of Cyclotron Operations, showcased the inner workings of the facility and how products produced by the cyclotron will be used by scientists to create new and more informative diagnostic agents which will allow physicians at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre to provide better patient care and more personalized therapies. The cyclotron also represents a giant engine for Thunder Bay and the region’s knowledge-based economy – and greater sustainability for the TBRRI.