Welcome to the McMaster Nuclear Reactor

The McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) began operating in 1959 as the first university-based research reactor in the British Commonwealth. More than 50 years later, MNR remains an integral part of the value chain of a number of industries, providing an array of services which would not otherwise be readily available to our stakeholders. Perhaps most notably, MNR is one of the world’s largest suppliers of the medical radioisotope iodine-125 which is used for the treatment of prostate cancer.

McMaster Nuclear Reactor retains a staff of highly qualified personnel with expertise in diverse areas ranging from nuclear engineering and safety analysis, to radioisotope production, to the design and fabrication of highly specialized technical equipment for use in the nuclear industry. Combined with a strong quality assurance program, this allows MNR to deliver consistently high quality services and products to our customers that satisfy their regulatory and reporting needs, while maintaining compliance with the federal nuclear regulator.

Located on the main campus of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, MNR is strongly committed to research and education. In addition to the numerous faculty members and graduate students who make use of the reactor for their research, several undergraduate courses have laboratory components that involve the nuclear reactor and associated facilities. MNR also provides training opportunities for undergraduate students in the form of summer internships as assistant reactor operators, laboratory and isotope production technicians, and engineering assistants. McMaster Nuclear Reactor is the epicenter of the extensive nuclear science-related facilities on campus that mark McMaster as Canada’s Nuclear University.

Schedule a Visit to Tour the McMaster Nuclear Reactor or Take a Virtual Tour.