Nikita Safonov is a nuclear physicist, cyclotron engineer and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing specialist with more than a decade of international experience in medical isotope production, particle accelerator technologies and GMP-compliant radiopharmaceutical operations.
Based now in Perth, Western Australia, he currently serves as Bayswater Facility Manager and Radiation Safety Officer at Cyclowest, where he leads the operations of the first commercial radiopharmaceutical site in WA, overseeing clinical production, engineering, regulatory compliance and multidisciplinary technical teams.
Nikita established the Northern Territory’s first radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Darwin. As Cyclotron Operations Manager, he played a leading role in commissioning the facility, developing operational and quality systems, building the production team, and bringing the site into routine manufacturing.
Throughout his career, Nikita has developed extensive expertise in the production of PET radiopharmaceuticals, including Fluorine-18, Gallium-68, Carbon-11, Oxygen-15, and other emerging radionuclides. His background spans cyclotron operations, radiochemistry, equipment commissioning, troubleshooting, facility design, preventive maintenance and optimisation of GMP manufacturing processes. Prior to relocating to Australia, he led isotope production laboratories in Russia, delivering large-scale cyclotron projects and supporting clinical and research programs in nuclear medicine.