HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research (HUN-REN ATOMKI), Debrecen, Hungary

The HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research (HUN-REN ATOMKI), based in Debrecen, is a central pillar of Hungary's experimental research landscape. Founded in 1954 as the country's dedicated nuclear research institute, HUN-REN ATOMKI has evolved continuously over seven decades into a recognised hub for nuclear science, deeply embedded within European and global research infrastructure ecosystems. HUN-REN ATOMKI provides open access to its unique laboratories and large-scale facilities for both national and international scientific communities. Its state-of-the-art instruments – including the flagship HUN-REN ATOMKI Accelerator Centre – play a key role in enabling cutting-edge experimentation and fostering cross-border collaboration.

The Institute pursues internationally competitive research across a broad range of disciplines, encompassing nuclear and molecular physics, nuclear astrophysics, quantum physics, surface physics, and isotope-based environmental science. Its 200-strong staff — including 120 researchers across multiple career stages — produced around 300 publications in 2024 alone, of which 250 appeared in impact-factor-indexed journals, with a cumulative impact factor exceeding 1,000 and more than 10,000 independent citations.

Beyond fundamental scientific discovery, HUN-REN ATOMKI also contributes to applied research in areas such as accelerator-based analytics, surface science, and environmental physics, and plays an active role in educating the next generation of scientists through close collaboration with the University of Debrecen's Doctoral School of Physics. Furthermore, the Institute provides expertise in radiation technology for the space industry and other projects in radiation biology.

The Institute's scientific profile extends well beyond its national context. HUN-REN ATOMKI coordinates the Hungarian Space Chemistry Research Network, providing experimental platforms for domestic and international researchers in nuclear physics (as part of the Eurolabs Horizon Europa infrastructure project), in nuclear astrophysics (as part of the Chetec project), in space chemistry (Europlanet project) and in nuclear analytics (Riana project). The Institute has also established itself as a valued partner of major national and international research institutions - including CERN, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the RIKEN Nishina Center in Japan, several Helmholtz research centres, and Brookhaven National Laboratory – with which it conducts a wide range of collaborative scientific activities. It is also integrated into key European research infrastructures, serving as the national consortium leader for both the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) and the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS). Through ICOS Hungary, HUN-REN ATOMKI coordinates national activities with the strategic aim of extending the geographical coverage of the ICOS European observation network eastwards via Hungary.

This breadth of activity is supported by a sophisticated experimental infrastructure. HUN-REN ATOMKI operates high-precision nuclear physics laboratories, accelerator- and detector-based research environments. Within HUN-REN ATOMKI, the Environmental Research Centre—a dedicated unit focused on isotope-based climate and environmental research—operates the atmospheric monitoring system for the city of Debrecen.These capabilities, supported by a well-balanced base funding, competitive national and international grants supplemented by industrial revenues, enable high-impact research and sustain productive partnerships across academia, large-scale research infrastructures, and industry.

Learn more about HUN-REN ATOMKI by visiting its website.
Further details are available in the institution’s information brochure here.

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