Landmine detector, cellular research honored by Discover Magazine

Two scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory were among the nine Discover Magazine Innovation Award winners named in June. Discover Magazine and the Christopher Columbus Foundation recognized Robert Wind and Richard A. Craig, both physicists, for their technologies that address vital health and humanitarian issues.

Wind accepted the top honor in Discover's Health category for inventing a combined optical and magnetic resonance microscope that has potential for improving the detection and diagnosis of diseased cells and in evaluating a patient's response to chemotherapy.

The combined microscope allows scientists to study live cells and how they respond to stresses over time. It couples the advantages of extremely high-resolution images with the ability to capture physical and chemical information of cells.

The Christopher Columbus Foundation granted Craig a $100,000 fellowship for development of a technology that quickly and inexpensively locates metal and plastic landmines. The portable Timed Neutron Detector recognizes the presence of hydrogen in landmines' casings and explosive materials.

"This device can be produced for use by Third World countries at a relatively low cost, yet the savings in human life and suffering could be priceless," said Rosalyn Queen Alonso, Christopher Columbus Foundation chair.