Brock University

By studying soft and biological materials with sophisticated tools like neutron beams, graduate students in biophysics are able to develop advanced analytical skills that can be transferred to a wide range of professional careers in all areas of Canada’s economy.

Using neutron beams at the CNBC, scientists gather direct molecular-level evidence for the role that Vitamin E plays in the human body—a feat that has been unattainable using other experimental techniques.

Fundamental research that uses neutron beams to investigate how our bodies work may lead to better health outcomes in the future by shedding light on our understanding of cholesterol and Aspirin.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a leading cause of death in babies up to one month old in the developed world because it makes breathing difficult. Researchers from Brock University use neutron beams to study biomolecules in the hope that it will lead to more effective treatments for RDS and other diseases, and to a molecular-level understanding of what vitamin E does in our bodies.

An international research team led by a Brock University scientist used neutron beams to resolve a scientific controversy over how cholesterol behaves when surrounded by unsaturated fatty acids such as “omega-3’s” and “omega-6’s” within cell membranes.