The Medical applications, nuclear technologies, radioprotection and safety (MANTRAS) project includes educational and training courses, events on applications in the medical sector, and access to the available research infrastructures. It focuses in particular on the development of new technologies for future nuclear applications in medicine and dosimetry, including experimental production of radioisotopes and radiotherapy techniques.

Other topical areas of the project are the following: science and basic technology; safety assessments and security considerations; safety culture and radiological protection; ethical and societal aspects for decision-making processes; safety and radiological protection in practice; multi-disciplinary cross-cutting issues and international co-operation.

Background

Under the Italian G7 Presidency, the Nuclear Safety and Security Group (NSSG) in its 2017 Report emphasised the importance of the human dimension and safety culture and welcomed the NEST initiative aimed at building “a strong, safety-oriented and talented workforce”. At the same time, societal and ethical aspects are present in the use of all nuclear technologies, including those in the medical field: these aspects being part of the radiological protection culture and, in general, of the safety culture. These are the pillars of the proposed NEST project MANTRAS - Medical applications, nuclear technologies, radioprotection and safety.

Objectives

The programme of work aims at covering the following topical areas:

• Science and basic technology;
• Ethical and societal aspects for decision-making processes;
• Safety culture and radiological protection;
• Safety and radiological protection in practice;
• New technologies for future nuclear applications in medicine and dosimetry, including experimental production of radioisotopes and radiotherapy techniques;
• Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) approach and radiological protection;
• Multi-disciplinary cross-cutting issues and international co-operation. 

The aspect of ethics and societal values is an overarching topic that provides a basis for evaluating the impact in terms of risks and benefits of all the science and technology considered here.