Established in 1945, ITEP was tasked with developing a heavy water reactor and researching cosmic rays. Its first heavy water research reactor started up in 1949, and served as the model for the construction of heavy water reactors in Yugoslavia, China, and the Czech Republic, among others.[1]

Since its inception, ITEP has conducted research on low-, intermediate-, and high-energy physics; reactor physics and engineering; and particle accelerator physics and engineering. It is one of four organizations comprising the pilot cooperation project National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, established in 2009.[2]

The Institute also has two critical assemblies, one operational and one under construction, both of which are powered by highly-enriched uranium (HEU). [3] For an overview of Russia's HEU policy and the full list of Russia's facilities using HEU, see the Russia Civilian HEU profile.

Sources:
[1] "Краткая история ИТЕФ" " [A short history of ITEP], ITEP website, undated, www.itep.ru (accessed 18 October 2012).
[2] "National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute," KIAE website, undated, www.kiae.ru (accessed 18 October 2012).
[3] "Research reactors: Russia," International Panel on Fissile Materials, undated, fissilematerials.org (accessed 17 October 2012).