The EUROPA project (lasEr-driven Universal Radio-isOtope Production Accelerator) officially launched on 1 April 2026 as a European initiative aiming to assess alternative routes for production of medical radioisotopes for cancer research on diagnosis and treatment. Bringing together a consortium of 12 leading research institutes, universities and industrial partners, EUROPA seeks to unlock the potential of laser-plasma acceleration (LPA) to develop a new generation of compact particle accelerators. The project will receive around 3.5 million euro in funding from the European Innovation Council program.
Each year, approximately 4 million people in Europe are diagnosed with cancer, underscoring the urgent need for more effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) is one of the most promising approaches in nuclear medicine, relying on artificial radioactive isotopes (ARIs) to precisely identify and destroy cancer cells. However, access to these innovative isotopes is limited due to the fact that they rely on few nuclear reactors and high-energy cyclotrons, technically capable of producing those but already extremely busy producing radiopharmaceuticals for patients. They are also heavy, expensive and energy-intensive, requiring an entire room or even a building with concrete walls that are several meters thick.
New technology to be smaller, more agile and cost-effective
The EUROPA project addresses this issue by advancing an innovative alternative: the use of high-power lasers to generate nuclear reactions. Through laser-plasma acceleration, particles can be accelerated to extremely high energies over much shorter distances than is possible using conventional methods; a breakthrough that could lead to significantly smaller, more agile and potentially more cost-effective radioisotope production systems.
A key challenge for the EUROPA consortium is to significantly improve the quality and stability of particle beams generated through LPA, while enhancing accessibility by designing systems that are easier to install in hospitals and research centers. The envisioned solutions also aim to reduce the need for extensive radiation shielding and minimize the risk of contamination to the immediate environment. These advances would make radioisotope production safer, more adaptable to clinical environments and less dependent on centralized infrastructure.
The project officially kicked off with its inaugural meeting in Nantes (France) on 9-10 April, marking the beginning of a collaborative effort to redefine the future of cancer treatment technologies.
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About EUROPA
EUROPA (for lasEr-driven Universal Radio-isOtope Production Accelerator) is a European collaborative research project dedicated to developing laser-driven solutions for radioisotope production, aiming to unlock new possibilities in cancer diagnosis and therapy. It is funded by the European Innovation Council under the EU Horizon Europe program with 3.5 million euro (grant agreement 101257418). The consortium consists of IMT Atlantique (as coordinator), CNRS, CEA, University of Bordeaux, University of Strathclyde, IFIN-HH, Laserlab-Europe (affiliated entity: FV Berlin), CLPU, GSI, Thales, Amplitude and Focused Energy. The duration of the project will be 48 months.
