Selected Presentations
2014 Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting
WSU College of Pharmacy Update – Lazarus, P.
Major initiatives at the College of Pharmacy during 2012-15 were discussed. These initiatives included merging the college onto a single campus in Spokane, growth of faculty, growth of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, and emphasizing research in terms of research dollars and core facilities.
Washington State University Tri-Cities – Hossain, A.
WSU Tri-Cities’ mission to advance, extend, and apply knowledge was presented, as were three related tenets: dynamic student engagement, dynamic research experiences, and dynamic community engagement. Examples of dynamic research opportunities on the Tri-Cities campus were discussed.
2013 SAC Recommendations & 2014 USTUR Overview – Tolmachev, S.Y.
The SAC’s recommendations from last year’s meeting, and the way the USTUR addressed each recommendation, were presented. An overview of 2014 activities was also provided. Activities included establishing DOE ownership of USTUR materials, completion of tissue sample inventory and commencement of planchet inventory, radiochemistry goals, and collaborative research activities.
Administrative & Financial Developments – Parker, M.
The budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015, and year-to-date spending for FY2015, were presented. The cost of facilities leases, F & A costs, personnel changes, and the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel that are supported by the current $900,000 grant were also discussed.
Anthony C. James Scholarship – Bedell, S.
In 2013, Washington State University, College of Pharmacy established the Anthony C. James (ACJ) scholarship in honor of the former USTUR Director, Tony James. The specifics of this scholarship were presented, including endowment goals and upcoming events.
USTUR Registrant Statistics – McComish, S.L.
Summary statistics for the Registries’ 405 Registrants included the number of living Registrants, distribution by U.S. states, and the primary radionuclide of exposure. During the past year, three Registrant donations were accepted. A brief summary of each donor’s exposure history was provided. Additionally, progress toward identifying past Hanford Environmental Health Foundation Registrants was reported.
Health Physics Database Progress Report – Avtandilashvili, M.V.
Progress toward entering Registrant exposure records into the USTUR’s health physics database was summarized by intake type, contaminant, and solubility class. As of the date of the presentation, 52,607 records from 104 Registrant cases had been entered.
National Human Radiobiology Tissue Repository – McComish, S.L.
As of August 2014, 16,145 samples had been logged into THEMIS. Most of these samples were frozen tissues or acid solutions. The inventory of USTUR tissues was completed in 2014 and an inventory of frozen radium worker tissues was commenced. Additionally, an Excel inventory of planchets was completed; these samples will be logged into the THEMIS inventory database during the coming year.
Radiochemistry Progress Report – Tabatadze, G.
Operation of the radiochemistry laboratory was described. Topics included tissue analysis progress, equipment upgrades, and facility maintenance. Analysis was completed for 337 samples.
Application of Digital Autoradiography – Miller, B.
The capabilities of iQID digital autoradiography were illustrated. Images acquired using the detector were shown, including that of a bone section from an individual who had been given a “therapeutic” injection of radium in 1926.
USTUR/ JCCRER Project 2.4 Collaboration – Napier, B.
The purpose and goals of the US/Russian Joint Coordinating Committee on Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER) was explained. Project 2.4, Mayak Worker Dosimetry, focuses on reconstructing internal and external doses to Mayak workers. The USTUR is analyzing tissues from two Registrants who were exposed to plutonium nitrate. Data from these analyses will be used to calculate the bound fraction for each worker.
Uranium Distribution in Humans – Kathren, R.*
The uranium content in three USTUR whole-body donors with no known occupational intakes was presented, and the tissue concentrations in various organs were compared.
*Presented by S. Tolmachev
Case 0212: Testing NCRP Wound Model – Avtandilashvili, M.
Urinalysis data and the post-mortem organ contents of a former worker who had received a plutonium-contaminated wound 17 years prior to death were modeled using the NCRP wound model in combination with the ICRP 67 systemic model for plutonium. The findings supported the NCRP wound model and determined that chelation therapy reduced the worker’s committed effective dose by a factor of 3.5.
WSU Grad Certificate Program in Radiation Protection – Stansbury, P.
A graduate certificate program in radiation protection is under development at WSU Tri-Cities, and the first course is being taught during fall term 2014. Faculty senate approval for the program is expected soon. Remote delivery course development and equipment procured were also discussed.
Research & Operation Plan for FY2015 – Tolmachev, S.
The awarded budget and goals for FY2015 were presented. Goals included radiochemically analyzing and counting 400 tissue samples, entering exposure records from 40 to 45 Registrant cases into the health physics database, promoting academic involvement within the College of Pharmacy and other WSU departments, and continuing to promote research collaborations with both U.S. and international organizations.