ORAU: Then & Now
Posts in History Category
In the ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, you will find hundreds of items that chronicle the history and commercialization of radiation and radioactivity. The collection includes a lot of dosimeters: film dosimeters, pocket dosimeters, thermoluminescent dosimeters, you-name-it-we-probably-got-it-dosimeters! Take a look at what these gadgets do and how they’ve been used through the years.
The History of ORAU is rooted in the years leading up to when it was established—specifically in the Manhattan Project, the top-secret program created to build the first atomic bombs during WWII. So, how did building nuclear weapons lead to the birth of ORAU? This blog explains.
Perhaps, what ORAU is most known for during our early years is our Medical Division. In the 24 years of operation, the Medical Division of ORAU advanced nuclear medicine and cancer treatment in seven tangible ways. This list includes the highlights from a couple dozen years of research and practice.
ORAU Chief Scientist Nazareth Gengozian blazed a new trail when he established a colony of South American marmosets for his research in 1961. He was developing a basic marrow transplant program to explore the feasibility of performing transplants in patients with cancers that begin in immune system cells or bone marrow.