Nuclear Medicine Pioneer: Glenn T. Seaborg w z Explorerof the Mysteries of the Atom @1 VI tions from the faculty and graduate students on the lat ‘U est research. Seaborg's col z 4 leagues and future friends included cyclotron inventor and future Nobel laureate Ernest 0. Lawrence, Robert Oppenheimer and future col laborators John (Jack) Livin I good and Edwin McMillan. Radioisotope Discoveries After completing his grad nate studies, Seaborg became 111 @; ..@ the personal research assistant @ GilbertN. Lewis, UCB'Sdean ofthe college of chemistry. @ (Left) Glenn 1. Seaberg A codiscoverer ofone ofthe most frequently While Seaborg assisted Lewis with his research on andEdwinMcMlIlanon used radionuclides in nuclear medicine, generalized acids andbases, duringhis sparetime, thedaytheywere notified they had won 99mTc,Nobel laureate Glenn T. Seaborg, generally at night, he continued his own investi theNobelPrize PhD, has contributed enormously to the specialty gations. His research was spurred when Livingood, (October 1951). (Right) ofnuclear medicine and created a firm foundation his codiscoverer of 1311,handed him a “hot―target Glenn T.Seaborg and for the development ofnuclear chemistry.The dis and asked him to chemically identify the radioiso Emilie Segrèpresenting topes itcontained.This initialforaywas the launch a sampleofplutonium coverer often elements, including one that bears totheMuseumof his name, Seaborg continues to draw on a lifetime ing point for Seaborg's life work and was the start History and Technology, ofexperience to advocate the safe uses of nuclear ofa 5-year collaboration with Livingood. In addi Smithsonian Institution, power and the need to invest in education and sup tion to 131!,the Seaborg-Livingood team also dis Washington, DC, March port of basic research and to pass on to future gen covered 59Feand 6OCoThe development of 131! 28, 1966. erations the excitement ofscientific discovery. occurred when noted nuclear physician Joseph G. Hamilton, MD, complained ofthe insufficient half Early Interests life (25 mm) ofthe tracerhe was using, 128!,in his Seaborgwas born in Ishpeming, MI, in 1912. He thyroid metabolism studies. Hamilton wanted a moved with his family to southernCaliforniawhen tracer with a half-life ofabout “aweek.―Seaborg he was 10 years old. His interest in chemistry and and Livingood synthesized 1311,which has a half physics was whetted while he was in high school. life of 8 days. During this time, Seaborg also col He was influenced by Dwight L. Reid, his teacher, laboratedwith anotherfutureNobellaureate, Emilio who hadenthusiasmandpassion forthese subjects. Segrè,and developed @‘@Tc. Following his graduation from high school, Seaborg began undergraduateworkatthe Universityof Cal TransuraniumElementsand the ifornia Los Angeles (UCLA), from which he Discovery of Plutonium received hisA.B. in chemistry in 1934. During Seaborg'sinitial experiments with radioisotopes his final year ofstudy at UCLA, Seaborg became were the catalyst forhis research with transuranium interested in the new developments occurring in elements, so named because they extend beyond nuclear science. That interest led him to pursue uranium on the periodic table. Uranium is the heav graduate studies at the University of California iestknownnatalBlly occurring element@but transura Berkeley (UCB), where he received his doctorate nium elements can be artificially created in parti in chemistry in 1937. He joined the UCB faculty cle accelerators. Seaborg had been following the in 1939 and served in various capacities, including work of several investigators, including that of as the campus's second chancellor (1958—1961). McMillan with Philip H. Aldeson, who identified Seaborg's period ofgraduate study was an excit the first transuranium element, neptunium (No. ing and stimulating time. Some ofthe leading and 93 onthe periodictable).In 1940, when he was only emerging figures in chemistry and physics were 28 years old, Seaborg began working with McMil at UCB. Highlights ofthe curriculum featured lan to identify the next transuranium element, weekly conferences and seminars with presenta plutonium (No. 94). Using the 60-in. cyclotron

16N THEJOURNALOFNUCLEARMEDICINE•Vol. 39 •No. 6 •June 1998 @ ci@ Sc 1@ ‘@, h@ @U

z developed by Lawrence, Seaborg, McMillan and the terms ofthree pres m their colleagues discovered plutonium by bom idents (Kennedy, John \@_ barding a sample ofuranium with deuterons. son andNixon).AsAEC VI Twoyears later,afterthe Japaneseattackon Pearl chair, Seaborg was ,@:U:Be F @ Harbor,Seaborg headed to Chicago to work on the responsible forthe man A @a-@kq Manhattan Project. His duties there included direct agement of a massive z @ ing the research activities fortransuranium elements operation that included Sr @rSS@O • B@ m andthe chemical extractionofplutonium fromurn promoting the use of nium. In 1942, Seaborg and his associates created nuclear energy, devel t ..@ @ an additionalsource ofnuclearpowerwiththe iden oping and testing L3 H@ Be. O@ r @ tification of233U, which established the use of nuclear weapons, mon @Ac . thorium as a nuclear fuel. The discovery of pluto itoring the production @ nium was the starting point for the development and sale of isotopes for L: L@\ H Eu of nine other transuranium elements: americium medical and other uses @ and curium in 1944 (Nos. 95 and 96, respectively), andlicensing ofnuclear rPaU @ berkelium (No. 97) in 1949, californium (No. 98) materials forpowerplant F.. in 1950, einsteinium (No. 99) in 1952, fermium development. During GlennT.Seaborg (No. lOO)in 1953,mendelevium(No. lOl)in 1955, his time as chair,Seaborg expanded theAEC's var points out seabergium nobelium (No. 102) in 1958, and seaborgium ious programs. For example, there were 2 nuclear ontheperiodictable (No. 106), which was identified in 1974 and con power plants in 196 1 and 70-plus plants by 1971. (February 1994). firmed in 1993 at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Perturbed by and in disagreement with many Nixon oratory. According to Seaborg, the naming of Ele administrationpolicies, Seaborg resigned from the ment No. 106 for him “wasthe greatest honor ever AEC and returnedto UCB in 1971. bestowed upon me.― Now in his 80s, Seaborg is still a familiar pres In 1944, Seaborg developed the actinideconcept, ence at UCB. He currently serves as the associate which identifies the position ofthe heaviest ele directoratlarge ofthe Lawrence Berkeley National ments, including the first 1 1 transuranium elements, Laboratoryandis chairofthe LawrenceHall of Sci in the periodic table. The concept is considered to ence, a facility that provides educational opportu be one ofthe most significant changes in the peri nities for school-age children. Seaborg holds over odic table since its early 19th century design by 40 patents, including those for americium and Mendeleyev. curium. He has written numerous books and over @ In addition to @mTcand the transuranium 500 scientific articles. The recipient ofSO honorary elements, Seaborg was the codiscoverer of 5ev doctorate degrees as well as honorarymembership eral other isotopes routinely used in nuclear med in 8 foreign academies ofscience, Seaborg also has icine: 57Co,6°Co,55Fe,59Fe,65Znand 137Cs. served leadership roles in various domestic scien tific and educational organizations, including as Nobel Prize and Other Activities president ofthe American Association for the In 195 1, Seaborg and McMillan were awarded AdvancementofScience andtheAmerican Chem the Nobel Prize for chemistry for theirdiscoveries ical Society. In 1996, he participatedas a guest lec in the chemistry of transuranium elements. turer at the centennial activities during the Soci Undaunted by being one ofthe youngest recipients ety ofNuclear Medicine's Annual Meeting in ofthe prestigious award (he was 39 years old at Denver, CO. the time), Seaborg continued his researchactivities Overthe years, Seaborg has used his international at UCB. As director ofthe nuclear chemistry divi reputationtopromotethe safe uses ofnuclear energy, sion and in 1954 as the associate directorofthe radi and he remains a proponent and champion of ation laboratory, Seaborg conducted studies on educational issues, particularly better instruction nuclearstructureandreactionsas well as alpha-par in math and sciences in American educational tide radioactivity. In 1958, he was appointed UCB'S systems. In a recent biographical sketch, Seaborg second chancellor. During his tenure as chancel noted that“educationis the best investment we can br (1958—1961),construction was begun on the make in the future.― Lawrence Hall of Science, in honor of Ernest 0. Seaborg's numerous accomplishments, tireless Lawrence, who had died a few years earlier. energy and absolutejoy in the thrill of discovery Seaborg's chancellorship was shortened by his are surely inspiring to both current and future appointment in 1961 as the chair ofthe Atomic generations of scientists. Energy Commission (AEC; now the Nuclear —EleanoreTapscott Regulatory Commission) by President John F. Kennedy, a 10-year appointmentthat encompassed

Newsline 17N