Purist is developing a platform technology that can be implemented in existing underutilized research reactor infrastructure nationwide for local and on-demand medical grade radioisotope production.

Medical radioisotopes are time sensitive radioactive ingredients that are used for diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening diseases such as cancer.

In recent years the availability of these ingredients has become a source of concern due to dependence on a limited number of aging production facilities worldwide.

To overcome this concern and meet the growing demand for medical radioisotopes, Purist is developing a technology to enable a distributed network of small-scale and underutilized nuclear reactors produce high purity radioisotopes.

Purist will complement the efforts of existing production facilities to serve the current and growing demand of the medical radioisotope market, increase domestic radioisotope production capabilities, and work towards ensuring no medical procedure is compromised due to radioisotope supply constraints.

Purist is enrolled in ORNL’s Innovation Crossroads program. TAEBC and Launch Tennessee provide non-exclusive business mentoring services to the Innovation Crossroads Innovators.

Innovation Crossroads is a new program based at ORNL that matches aspiring energy entrepreneurs with the experts, mentors, and networks in technology-related fields to take their world-changing ideas from R&D to the marketplace.

The Tennessee Valley Authority joins Innovation Crossroads as a program sponsor enabling an innovator focused on energy-related research. Innovation Crossroads is also sponsored by DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office.

Several entrepreneurs have been selected to transform their ideas into clean energy companies with financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Innovators receive a fellowship that covers living costs, benefits and a travel stipend for up to two years, plus up to $350,000 to use on collaborative research and development at ORNL.