The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for implementing Canada's plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel. This Canadian plan requires used fuel to be contained and isolated in a deep geological repository in a willing and informed host community. Since 2011, the NWMO has undertaken a significant effort in redesigning both its used fuel container reference design and emplacement methods. A key difference of the new container design is the application of a corrosion-resistant copper barrier layer directly onto a carbon steel core. In support of this new container concept, the NWMO has initiated a series of design reviews and research programs to validate its performance. A brief overview of these research programs is provided, with particular emphasis on recent results of X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging experiments.