TRIUMF seeking major funding increase to execute transformation of lab's focus

Aims to be world leader in nuclear medicine

Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics is seeking a 38% increase to its next funding cycle to fund an ambitious expansion of its activities and enhance its leadership position for the production of rare isotopes, accelerator design and nuclear medicine. TRIUMF — the Univ of British Columbia-based TRI-University Meson Facility — is requesting $305 million over five years to boost interaction with industry and seize what it describes as a "transformational moment" in the facility's evolution.

TRIUMF is nearing the end of its current funding cycle, which provides the facility with $222 million over five-years ending March 31/10 (exclusive of $28 million in awards through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)). Base operating support historically flows through the National research Council (NRC) — an arrangement TRIUMF is hoping the government will continue.

Since his arrival in May/07, TRIUMF director Dr Nigel Lockyer has been steering the facility in new research areas and expanding on existing collaborations to develop world-class expertise in isotope generation and the accelerators that produce them. A key element of its five-year plan is the development of accelerators based on photo fission.

"The budget has been flat for 15 years so it only allows for incremental improvements, but we're at a juncture of being able to boost the lab to a new level," says Lockyer, who presented TRIUMF's plan to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance at a September 28 session in Vancouver. "Economic impact is a priority and I have a personal desire to impact that way."

The proposal has already helped secure a $23-million CFI award to develop a $52-million superconducting electron accelerator for the production of (among other things) Molybdenum-99 or MO-99 medical isotopes. It has also attracted the R&D participation of MDS Nordion, the Univ of British Columbia and the BC Cancer Agency to further plans for developing new value-added products such as a new generation of radiotracers for medical imaging.

Since its completion last year, the plan has been vetted by several bodies including a Five-Year Plan Steering Group and an NRC International Peer Review Committee. The latter concluded that the plan presented an "exceptional opportunity" to seize world leadership both scientifically and industrially in the areas of nuclear medicine and capabilities afforded by a new electron linear accelerator (e-linac).

"The Review Committee wholeheartedly and unanimously endorses the proposed plan in its totality. Failure to support either the scientific thrust or the level of funding, as proposed in the plan, would jeopardize this opportunity irreversibly," states the committee. "It presents a strategic vision for the future of the laboratory, a vision in which Canada should invest."

The whopping 853-page five-year plan spells out in considerable detail what Lock-yer describes as an unprecedented opportunity to leverage one of Canada's handful of big science research facilities for significant economic and social impact. TRIUMF's potential for overcoming Canada's medical isotope crisis in the near- and medium-term is just one example of its strategic approach to developing research capabilities that have real-world application and meet national priorities.

"There's no padding. I tell it like it is. International peer review understands it and I can justify every cent. If we don't get the full amount we will have to cut projects … If you cut (the budget increase) by 10% you cut the ability to expand activities," says Lockyer.

push for a national big science policy

TRIUMF's new five-year strategy is the result of four years of planning and consultation. Within government, the plan has received the support of both NRC and Industry Canada, the latter having responsibility for submitting the requisite Memorandum to Cabinet (MC) for Budget consideration.

While the re-funding process is somewhat cumbersome, it benefits from the NRC's role as a conduit for the majority of funding required. Not all big science facilities in Canada are as fortunate and face significant obstacles in securing the necessary support for continuing operations, not to mention expansion. Lockyer says the lack of a national program places big science facilities like the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) and NEPTUNE-VENUS ocean observatories is a precarious position. Without the security of a stable funding environment, facility managers spend far too much time lobbying and face the prospect of losing key personnel to other jurisdictions that provide funding that's both adequate and secure.

"This is an outstanding issue in Canada. It was supposed to be address by STIC (Science,Technology and Innovation Council) and we made all the presentations but we're not sure what was supported," says Lockyer. "There's no new process announced for these facilities."

The issue of operating costs for major science facilities is certainly not new. Dr Arthur Carty, when he was National Science Advisor, led an effort that developed a framework for evaluating, funding and providing oversight for big science investments (R$, February 22/05). That document sat untouched until it was revived by a working group of the NRC, CFI and three granting councils (R$, December 10/07). The group produced a position paper that was completed early in 2008 but nothing has been heard of it since it was received by Industry Canada.

The cause was also taken up by Dr Bill Thomlinson, former executive director of the Canadian Light Source. But after four years his efforts failed to produce a policy or standardized funding mechanism. However, the CLS received notification last month that the federal government would provide $44 million over four years to support its operations (R$, September 22/09).

Lockyer says that TRIUMF's arrangement with the NRC, while not perfect, is preferable to the ad hoc nature of securing operating funds faced by other big science facilities.

"Right now it's every man for himself. We're not looking after them (big science facilities) and every country needs these facilities," he says. "We need to take a step back and look at what we have. Instead of planting new flowers, why don't we water the ones we've got. My recommendation — and my colleagues (at SNO, NEPTUNE, etc) don't necessarily buy into this — is to replicate the TRIUMF scenario."

Lockyer cautions that TRIUMF's re-funding bid may run into rough waters. In addition to TRIUMF, NRC also has MCs for cluster renewal and participation in a new 30-metre telescope for a combined ask of approximately $1 billion.

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