The Russian nuclear industry celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, but if there are those who still believe it’s all about defense — professor Giuseppe Rubini is here to disappoint you.

According to the nuclear medicine professor at Bari University Hospital, the nuclear industry is very much about developing medical production complexes and treatment of the worst-known diseases.

Rubini told us that radioactive substances that are used in nuclear medicine are called radionuclide pharmaceuticals. They aim to make our lives longer and healthier.

“They can be useful in the early detection of various types of diseases, especially cancer, and more and more they provide an opportunity for their treatment.”

He went further to explain that the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the more options doctors will have to treat it. To make it all work, Rubini said that nuclear medicine requires professionals with diverse skills and from diverse fields.

“It’s necessary to understand the biological mechanisms which form the basis for pathologies, and to develop radiopharmaceuticals that can identify these pathologies,” added Rubini.