Our Mission
Actinia’s mission is to increase the resolution and decrease the dose used in radiological imaging techniques such as SPECT, CT, and even plain X-rays. Actinia develops cutting-edge radiation detector materials that allow for a halving of the dose, or doubling of the resolution, of common imaging techniques used in medicine and security.
History of Discovery
We initiated our research on CsPbBr3 (CLB) and related materials in the late 2000s as potential hard radiation detector materials. Our first report in 2013 identified CLB as a very promising inorganic semiconductor detector with good X-ray response.
In 2018 we demonstrated that CLB can reach <4% energy resolution for γ-ray detection using CsPbBr3 detectors. Specifically, our planar perovskite detector resolved the 59.5 keV (241Am γ-ray), 122 and 136 keV (57Co γ-ray), 511 keV (22Na γ-ray) and 662 keV (137Cs γ-ray) lines. For 57Co γ-ray spectra, a planar perovskite detector achieved energy resolution (ER) of 3.8%.
In 2020, our CLB detector resolved 137Cs 662 keV γ rays with 1.4% energy resolution, as well as other X-rays and γ-rays with energies ranging from tens of keV to over 1 MeV.
Our Partners
Northwestern University
Actinia brings a rich history of innovation to bear, commercializing technology that was first developed by a team of scientists and engineers led by Professor Mercouri Kanatzidis at Northwestern University. Northwestern University is one of the country’s leading private research and teaching universities, located in Evanston, IL. Northwestern University’s chemistry department, where Actinia’s innovations were first discovered and explored, has a rich and storied history of successful technology transfer, having birthed companies such as Exicure, Questek, NuMat, and many more. Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.
Kairos Ventures
Kairos Ventures has supplied early capital to Actinia to help the company grow more rapidly and satisfy the needs of early customers and partners. Kairos Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, CA that works closely with the world’s leading universities and research institutions to identify and support the commercialization of transformative technologies. Kairos invests in patented scientific advances in life sciences and engineering that have the potential to deliver substantial impact for our world, and remarkable returns for our Investors. In addition to providing capital, Kairos supports our portfolio of companies with the professional business and scientific expertise to maximize their potential from early seed through incubation and growth.
Meet the Team
Actinia has a world-class leadership team with deep experience in chemistry and materials science.
Mercouri Kanatzidis
Co-Founder
Mercouri Kanatzidis is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University. His research areas include halide perovskites… Read More
Duck Young Chung
Co-Founder
Duck Young Chung is a scientist in solid state chemistry and materials science with primary research interest in thermoelectrics, superconductor, topological insulators… Read More
Josh Palmer
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Josh became involved with Actinia through his work at the science-focused venture capital firm Kairos Ventures. He began his career in the startup world as… Read More
Dr. Indra Pandey
Senior Scientist
Dr. Indra Pandey is a Senior Scientist at Actinia with a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Kyungpook National University in South Korea… Read More
Dr. Grant Alexander
Senior Scientist
Dr. Grant Alexander joined Actinia as a Senior Scientist and holds a PhD in Materials Chemistry from Northwestern University, where he worked under Prof… Read More
Dr. Govinda Adhikari
Senior Scientist
Dr. Govinda Adhikari is a Senior Scientist at Actinia, with a Ph.D. in Particle Physics from Sejong University in Daejeon, South Korea… Read More
George Lauro
Senior Advisor
George Lauro has spent the last 25 years as a Venture Capitalist, Investment Banker and operating executive, including Board Director positions at 7 public… Read More