Scientists find cancer-fighting isotope hidden in accelerator waste

Scientists at the University of York have developed a novel method to convert radiation waste from particle accelerators into copper-67, a rare and valuable medical isotope used in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Particle accelerators, such as those at CERN, generate intense beams of high-energy particles that end in a “beam dump,” where leftover radiation is typically discarded as waste heat. The York team discovered that the photons in this radiation can be harnessed to produce copper-67, which functions as a theranostic agent—capable of both destroying cancer cells and enabling doctors to monitor treatment progress through diagnostic imaging. This isotope is currently in clinical trials for aggressive cancers like neuroblastoma and prostate cancer but is limited globally due to costly and infrastructure-heavy production methods. The innovation stands out because it allows particle accelerators to generate copper-67 continuously and cost-effectively without interrupting their primary physics research. By utilizing the accelerator’s existing radiation waste, the method maximizes resource use and provides a parallel source of life-saving