TRIUMF : Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics

Driving Canadian Innovation with Commercial Partners

TRIUMF’s mission focuses both on basic research and its translation into the commercial market with added-value products and services. TRIUMF has positioned itself as a bridge across the traditional “valley of death” that separates inspiration and discovery from product development and commercialization in the marketplace.  Together with AAPS, Inc., TRIUMF supports several entrepreneurship training opportunities.

TRIUMF drives product development and commercialization in three primary channels:

• TRIUMF’s expertise is in demand by companies who are looking to enhance their revenue-generating activities. By selling this expertise, either through licenses or by contracting out employees, TRIUMF not only helps these companies, it increases its own expertise and capabilities. (Example: Nordion)

• TRIUMF trains people in specialized areas of expertise, and these people, in turn, take their expertise work in existing companies or to start new companies. (Example: D-Pace)

• TRIUMF, as a laboratory doing leading-edge research, frequently requires equipment that is not available off-the-shelf but must be developed in conjunction with commercial suppliers. The expertise developed by these suppliers, with TRIUMF’s help, then aids the supplier to generate additional business and, in some cases, significantly increase its top line. (Example: PAVAC Industries, Inc.)

The term “ technology transfer” is the conventional term used to describe the movement of ideas, equipment, and people among institutions of higher learning, the commercial sector, and the public. The conventional approach to technology transfer is now evolving into the broader concept of “ knowledge transfer,” which describes the movement of knowledge, ideas, concepts, and techniques from a formative location, generally an institution of advanced education or a laboratory such as TRIUMF, to all areas of the social and economic environment. Over the years, TRIUMF has increased the number of its partnerships with businesses and organzations in Canada and around the world by applying the concepts of technology and knowledge transfer and now works with many different organizations on a commercial basis.

Commercial Partners

Laboratories

Canada

• BC Cancer Agency Proton Therapy
• Canadian Space Agency Radiation Testing
• Centre for Research in Earth & Space Technology Radiation Testing
• Defence Research Establishment Canada Radiation Testing

Japan

• KEK Ar/Ethane gas recyling system

Universities

Canada  

• Université de Sherbrooke PET
• University of British Columbia PET
• University of Toronto (Institute of Aerospace Studies) Radiation Testing
• University of Victoria NSERC Collaboration

Israel  

• University of Tel Aviv Thickness Monitor

USA  

• Oregon State University Radiation Testing
• University of Washington Target Station  

Industrial

Canada  

• Argus Technologies Radiation Testing
• CDS Research Ltd. Smoke stack emissions
• Dehnel Consulting Ltd. Ion Source
• JML Biopharm Inc. Specialized radioisotopes
• Nordion Inc. Radioisotopes, Solid Targets
• MacDonald Dettwiler Robotics Radiation Testing

USA  

• PBAR Medical, California Radiation Testing
• TOP Consulting, Palo Alto Radiation Testing
• World Physics Technologies, Inc., Virginia Neutron Imaging

International  

• DERA Space Department, UK Radiation Testing