For the first time, scientists from NCBJ were awarded with a grant from NCN Miniatura competition in the field of Life Sciences. The receivers of these grants, Dr Kamila Maliszewska-Olejniczak and Dr Karolina Wójciuk, are working in Nuclear Facilities Operations Department and their projects are related to the research for boron-neutron therapy (BNCT).
Dr Maliszewska-Olejniczak’s project is titled „Research of biological effects on cellular level in BNCT therapy using a neutron bean on a chosen cancer cell culture in Maria research reactor” ["Badanie efektów biologicznych na poziomie komórki przy terapii BNCT z wykorzystaniem wiązki neutronów dla wybranej linii nowotworowej w reaktorze badawczym Maria"]. The author is the leader of Biomedical Research Section H2. Dr Wójcik is employed in Radiochemistry Section in Reactor Research Division and her research is titled „Implementation of polycrystal boron compounds in the context of biological research in the BNCT method” ["Zastosowanie związków polikrystalicznych boru w kontekście badań biologicznych w metodzie BNCT"]. Research related to the BNCT therapy are a relatively new topic, which is being developed in NCBJ. For such research, H2 horizontal channel will be used. This channel will direct the neutrons to the research room, where additional infrastructure will be built. In the Miniatura competition of National Science Centre, grants are awarded for single scientific activities and the amount of these grants does not exceed 50 000 zł.