Former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) praises the recent groundbreaking for the $40-million Radioisotope Science Center near south Columbia’s Discovery Ridge.
UM System president Dr. Mun Choi predicts the facility will ensure the nation’s domestic supply of radioisotopes used for national security and other federal priorities. Former Senator Blunt tells 939 the Eagle this is a very important moment:
“With AI and quantum computing and understanding the new nuclear realities of the country for both health and energy. It’s great to see the University of Missouri leading there and in so many other ways,” Senator Blunt says.
The state and federal governments each contributed $20-million for the project near Highway 63.
Meantime, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) director is thrilled with the recent groundbreaking for the new facility at Columbia’s Discovery Ridge Research park. DNR director Kurt Schaefer tells 939 the Eagle that the planned 31,000 square foot facility is part of a bigger picture of a nuclear renaissance happening nationwide:
“It’s a tremendous asset not only for the University of Missouri but for the entire state of Missouri,” Director Schaefer says.
The new facility will be near the planned NextGen MURR, which will be a new 20-megawatt state-of-the-art research reactor. UM System President Dr. Choi predicts NextGen MURR will build on Mizzou’s current MURR, which is the only U.S. producer of four medical isotopes used to treat liver, thyroid, pancreatic and prostate cancer.