On 4 June 1955, the Nuclear Research Institute was established

On 4 June 1955, the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Poland, reacting to the declassification by the USA, the UK and the USSR of some of the work on nuclear physics and the provision of nuclear technology to other countries, passed a resolution establishing the Institute of Nuclear Research. Its first director was Professor Andrzej Sołtan. Two years later, after Prof. Sołtan's resignation, the post was given to Prof. Jan Paweł Nowacki.
The Institute's activities included atomic nucleus research, nuclear engineering and the use of nuclear energy for the national economy.

1962 - Start of production of isotopes and medical preparations

Even during the construction of the EWA reactor, in 1957, the Isotope Distribution Department was established, which, after the start-up of EWA, was transformed into the Isotope Distribution Office and then into the Isotope Production and Distribution Centre. Already in the 1960s, the Centre produced a number of innovative products including medical preparations with radionuclides: 131I, 35S, 32P, standard and gammagraphy sources and the first technetium generators.

LECH (1961) and ANDRZEJ (1970) accelerators - important for physics research

Particle accelerators were also worked on at Świerk. On 22 December 1961, a Van den Graaff-type accelerator, LECH, used for fundamental research in nuclear physics, was put into service. The ANDRZEJ proton accelerator, named after Andrzej Sołtan who initiated its construction, was also built here. The ANDRZEJ accelerator began operation in early 1970.

The experience gained allowed the installation of equipment for radiographic testing of products and photoactivation chemical analysis in copper ore enrichment plants, and contributed to the development and production of NEPTUN 10P accelerators for radiotherapy of cancer.

The MARIA research reactor was commissioned in 1974

In 1966, the decision was taken to build the second Polish research reactor MARIA, named after Maria Skłodowska-Curie. The programme for the use of the MARIA research reactor was established back in 1964. According to the document, the reactor was to enable physical research on neutron beams, radiochemical and materials research, and research in reactor engineering and nuclear power. The reactor was also to be used for irradiating target materials for isotope production and conducting irradiations for short-lived isotope spectrometry.
On 16 June 1970, the foundation stone was ceremonially laid in the foundation slab of the main building, and on 18 December 1974, at 0.17 a.m., the criticality of the MARIA reactor was reached for the first time.

The complete history of the MARIA reactor can be accessed here.

1982 - Separation of the IBJ into three separate units

In 1982, as a result of a political decision, the IBJ was divided. The liquidation and division of the IBJ was a form of repression by the martial law authorities against rebellious scientists.

Three new entities were created: the Institute of Nuclear Problems (IPJ) and the Institute of Atomic Energy (IEA) (both based in Świerk), and the Institute of Chemistry and Nuclear Technology (in Żerań). In 1990, the Isotope Research and Development Centre was granted independent legal personality. It was subsequently reintegrated into the IEA. In 2007, the name of the Institute of Atomic Energy was changed to the POLATOM Institute of Atomic Energy.