International Partnership Fund supports Canadian students’ research at ISIS

ISIS Neutron and Muon Source has partnered with Neutrons Canada to promote and foster the collaboration between UK and Canadian researchers. This partnership is funded by the UK International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF)*,?which supports Canadian user experiments at ISIS, including beamtime fees and costs of travel for Canadian researchers.

Two Canadian students who have benefitted from the funding are Maks Dziura and Stuart Castillo , who are each studying for their PhD at the University of Windsor in Ontario. The ISPF enabled them both to travel to ISIS and stay here for a month while they worked on some exciting projects.

Testing conditions for a Canadian neutron facility

Leading Canadian neutron scientists are aiming to build a neutron research facility, the Prototype Canadian Compact Accelerator Neutron Source (PC-CANS). This project, which will develop national infrastructure, will initially have a small number of instruments to serve as proof-of-concept for a next-generation neutron facility.

To help secure funding for such a facility, Maks came to ISIS to work on the LoQ beamline to gather data in a variety of benchmark-style tests. Maks used the instrument in several different configurations, in conditions similar to those proposed for the PC-CANS.

It was Maks’ first time leading a small angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiment, working with Steve King, who recently retired from ISIS having been an instrument scientist at ISIS for 35 years.?“It’s been a great opportunity to receive training in neutron experiments and get acquainted with the facilities,” said Maks. “I felt very welcomed by the overall ISIS atmosphere, especially as a newcomer to the country.”

Studying mitochondrial structures

Stuart worked on SANS2D, analysing the structure and dynamics of mitochondria through a number of different disease states. Mitochondrial diseases can affect many organs and tissues, especially those that require a lot of energy (such as the brain and heart). Different diseases have a fundamental physiological and structural change, and a more detailed understanding of this can help to advance healthcare.

This research builds on work that was conducted earlier in 2024. When cells die, they do this in one of a handful of different ways. Of these, ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death characterised by uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, is subtler which makes it harder to analyse. Despite these challenges, Stuart was able to see functional mitochondrial structures changing in real time, even in just a few hours.

Cancer evades traditional cell death checkmarks, specifically those regulated by the mitochondria. Stuart led an experiment to test a variety of different drugs to target cancerous mitochondria, trying to push the limits of neutron techniques to develop new ways of studying disease in functional living systems. This aimed to answer some key questions such as, “why does this drug not impact healthy cells?” It’s important that drugs only target cancerous mitochondria, so that they’re safe to use without harming patients. This is just one factor which needs to be checked experimentally, and neutron scattering is a great tool for these experiments.

Both Maks and Stuart enjoyed their time at ISIS. They connected with new colleagues in their fields and developed a wide range of skills. Maks says he could see himself continuing to work in neutron research, while Stuart would love to apply the knowledge and skills that he’s gained throughout his academic career to a role in industry. Both highlighted the value of the ISPF, which made their visits possible, and gave them access to such a beneficial professional and scientific development opportunity.

* The UK International Science Partnerships Fund aims to address global challenges, build knowledge, and develop the technologies of tomorrow, through working closely with international partners. It will:

• support research excellence and build the knowledge and technology of tomorrow
• strengthen ties with international partners
• enable researchers and innovators to cultivate connections, follow their curiosity and pioneer transformations internationally, for the good of the planet