Ithemba Labs

iThemba LABS is a national research facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa, operating from sites in Cape Town and Johannesburg. It is the largest particle accelerator facility in the Southern Hemisphere and the only cyclotron facility of its kind on the African continent. The workhorse of iThemba LABS is the Separated Sector Cyclotron (SSC), commissioned in 1985, which provides accelerated particle beams with energies up to 200 MeV for protons. The SSC delivers beams of various ions and particles to two user groups: radioisotope production and basic and applied research, including radiation biophysics.

iThemba LABS has been producing radioisotopes for local and international markets for over 30 years. It is one of the few facilities globally that produce irradiated 82Rb targets for 82Sr and 68Ge/68Ga-generators and the exclusive producer of 123I radiopharmaceuticals in South Africa. Additionally, it is the only producer of Ultra High Vacuum 22Na positron sources worldwide. The products are supplied to healthcare facilities across South Africa, the South African Development Community (SADC), and over 100 clients globally.

In 2017, iThemba LABS embarked on establishing the South African Isotope Facility (SAIF) to meet the increasing demand for radiopharmaceuticals. The first phase involved setting up a dedicated 70-MeV cyclotron for radioisotope production, allowing the SSC to be available for research on a 24/7 basis. The expanded research agenda through SAIF will position iThemba LABS as a hub for nuclear sciences, technologies, and applications, fostering collaboration among South African universities, research institutions, and international partners.