Science, Health and Technology

The University of Missouri’s Research Reactor has successfully completed its annual drill.

The reactor staff worked with public-safety and health professionals yesterday to simulate a scenario involving a small fire and radiation exposure to two individuals.  The police and fire departments participate in the drill every other year.

University of Missouri Health Care will lay off or cut the hours and pay for 35 employees and eliminate 90 unfilled jobs in the coming year.

MU Health Care spokesperson Mary Jenkins told The Columbia Daily Tribune the job losses are due to cuts in federal health care payments from Medicare and the failure of legislators to expand Medicaid eligibility.

She says many of the 90 jobs that will be eliminated have been unfilled for most of the past year.

The University of Missouri will be conducting a drill Monday morning at its research nuclear reactor center. The center is located south of Stadium Boulevard and west of Providence Road in Columbia. The drill is meant to simulate what could happen during an emergency situation at the reactor.

A large jar sits inside a white refrigerator in the pharmacy at Mercy Springfield.  Inside that jar are what are classified as medical devices by the US Food and Drug Administration:  about 20 medical grade leeches that are kept in case they’re needed, which is usually once or twice a year.