From Toxins Targeting Ligand Gated Ion Channels to Therapeutic Molecules

Ligand-gated ion channels (LGIC) play a central role in inter-cellular communication. This key function has two consequences: (i) these receptor channels are major targets for drug discovery because of their potential involvement in numerous human brain diseases; (ii) they are often found to be the target of plant and animal toxins. Together this makes toxin/receptor interactions important to drug discovery projects. Therefore, toxins acting on LGIC are presented and their current/potential therapeutic uses highlighted

Seven Decades of Science with Accelerators at IPHC

International audienceThe Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC) is a laboratory with solid foundations and perspectives to overcome future challenges. It is a component of the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the university of Strasbourg. It has been founded in 2006 after fusion of three local laboratories in the field of ecology/environment, chemistry and subatomic physics. The activities related with subatomic physics presents a rich history which goes back to the 40’s and is now evolving towards new challenges at the frontier of the innovation with the contribution of other sciences as biology, chemistry, medicine and radiotherapy. The paper will recover a number of past and current activities with emphasis on the link between research and technology

Beam Extraction from TR24 Cyclotron at IPHC

International audienceThe CYRCé cyclotron is used at IPHC (Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien) for the production of radio-isotopes for diagnostics, medical treatments and fundamental research in radiobiology. The TR24 cyclotron manufactured and commercialized by ACSI delivers a 16-25 MeV proton beam with intensity from few nA up to 500 microA. The TR24 is a separated-sector isochronous cyclotron with normal-conducting magnet and stripper foil. It is a challenge to fit the high intensity proton beam used for target irradiation to radiobiology and analytical applications due to requirements on beam quality and energy resolution. Field distribution in the region of the extraction performed with OPERA 3D as well as beam dynamics related with stripping are analysed. 3D calculation model and hypothesis about geometry and beam are described. Our goal is to evaluate the extraction efficiency and the beam characteristics in the focusing plane outside the cyclotron which will serve as inputs for the design of future beam lines and enable beam matching conditions. Therefore, different issues are discussed: energy dispersion, transverse dynamics and orbit separation

Simulation of Beam Extraction from TR24 Cyclotron at IPHC

International audienceThe CYRCé (CYclotron pour la ReCherche et Enseignement) TR24 cyclotron is used at IPHC (Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien) for the production of radio-isotopes for diagnostics, medical treatments and fundamental research in radiobiology. The TR24 cyclotron produced and commercialized by ACSI delivers a 16-25 MeV proton beam with intensity from few nA up to 500 µA. The TR24 is a compact isochronous cyclotron with normal-conducting magnet and stripper foil for the beam extraction. The calculation model for OPERA 3D program code is described. The magnetic field map in the working region of the cyclotron is generated. The beam characteristics outside the cyclotron, that will serve as initial conditions for the design of future beam lines are determined

Focusing and Bunching of Ion Beam in Axial Injection Channel of IPHC Cyclotron TR24

International audienceThe CYRCé cyclotron (CYclotron pour la ReCherche et l'Enseignement) is used at IPHC (Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien) for the production of radio-isotopes for diagnostics, medical treatments and fundamental research in radiobiology. The TR24 cyclotron produced and commercialized by ACSI (Canada) delivers a 16-25 MeV proton beam with intensity from few nA up to 500 mcA. The solenoidal focusing instead of existing quadrupole one is proposed in this report. The changing of the focusing elements will give the better beam matching with the acceptance of the spiral inflector of the cyclotron. The parameters of the focusing solenoid is found. Additionally, the main parameters of the bunching system are evaluated in the presence of the beam space charge. This system consists of the buncher installed in the axial injection beam line of the cyclotron. The using of the greedless multi harmonic buncher may increase the accelerated beam current and will give the opportunity to a new proton beam applications

Transverse Phase Space Scanner Developments at IPHC

International audienceEmittance characterization of charged particle beams is a standard and important tool to assess the performances of a facility. Due to emittance growth, beam losses and space charge the measurement of the transverse phase space distributions of the charged particles is still an up-to-date issue even at low energy and for wide beams. It enables detailled characterization of particle position and incidence in addition to other diagnostics. It gives access to the particles distribution at the boarder, a region of lower density important for high power accelerators and high intensity radioactive beams as they request reduced losses and damages thus less contaminated parts and nuclear waste for a safe handling during maintenance. Transverse Phase Space Scanners are designed at IPHC and based on the Allison system. They are currently used on different injection channels of large facilities as SPIRAL 2 and FAIR and will be used in the future on the DC280/SHE facility at JINR. A review of the IPHC’s high resolution scanner design, development programme and future challenges are presented espacially for beam halo analysis and "loss less" beam transport lines

Study of Injection Line of the Cyclotrons C70XP of Arronax

International audienceThe cyclotron C70XP is an accelerator built for the production of non-conventional radionuclides for nuclear medicine, research in physics, radio-chemistry and biology. Its injection section has been designed for 4 types of ions (HH⁺, D-, He2+ & H⁻), 3 types of ions reach the end of the beamline (H⁺, He2+ & D⁺) at the maximum energy of 70 MeV (H⁻ & He2+). It is important that regular and standard runs provide similar beam features with a good emittance quality. An investigation, focused on the beam in the injection, cover beam measurements and potential beam geometry constraints. The beam transverse characteristics in the injection line has been studied with an Allison-type emittance meter and a simple instrumented collimator installed inside the injection line *. With these 2 devices, it is scrutinized how the beam emittance evolves as a function of settings of the injection magnets and the source parameters **. Dependencies found between the emittance, beam hotspots and tunings are discussed, as well as the protection performed by the collimator. Future of this work with a potential collimator design is introduced

Installation, Use and Follow-Up of an Emittance-Meter at the Arronax Cyclotron 70XP

International audienceThe 70 MeV cyclotron group of the Arronax GIP (Interest Public Group), France, foresees to increase its beam intensity on target. For this, several beam studies are being performed in the various sections of the accelerator including the injection. Thus, an Allison-type emittance-meter has been installed in this section above the cyclotron and downstream a quadrupole triplet. Installation and the first results of a campaign of measurements are presented including high intensity runs, up to 1 mA for 40 keV H⁻ ions. The emittance-meter is expected to be used with several accelerators throughout the world. Therefore, a strategy on the follow-up of the activation of sample materials used in the equipment is being established and is described in the paper

Beam Instrumentation, Challenging Tools for Demanding Projects –– a Snapshot from the French Assigned Network

International audienceParticle accelerators are thrusting the exploration of beam production towards several demanding territories, that is beam high intensity, high energy, short time and geometry precision or small size. Accelerators have thus more and more stringent characteristics that need to be measured. Beam diagnostics accompany these trends with a diversity of capacities and technologies that can encompass compactness, radiation hardness, low beam perturbation, or fast response and have a crucial role in the validation of the various operation phases. Their developments also call for specialized knowledge, expertise and technical resources. A snapshot from the French CNRS/IN2P3 beam instrumentation network is proposed. It aims to promote exchanges between the experts and facilitate the realization of project within the field. The network and several beam diagnostic technologies will be exposed. It includes developments of system with low beam interaction characteristics such as PEPITES, fast response detector such as the diamond-based by DIAMMONI, highly dedicated BPM for GANIL-SPIRAL2, emittance-meters which deals with high intensity beams and development for MYRRHA, SPIRAL2-DESIR and NEWGAIN