Research Projects

Radiotracer Research

In the last decade, the use of PET in neurology, cardiology and oncology has grown rapidly. Current PET applications are mainly based on the imaging characteristics of a single radiotracer, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which can help identify areas of high glycolytic activity, such as a group of cancer cells.

FDG is consequently a very useful tracer, but does not work so well in a number of disease states where glucose activity is not up-regulated. Therefore, other tracers are required that target other characteristics such as protein synthesis, cell proliferation, hypoxia and receptor binding.

Candidate molecules are selected on the basis of clinical advice about appropriate targets associated with biological processes such as receptor-based cell signalling, apoptosis and cell-mediated immunity and inflammatory responses. Recent advances in combinatorial chemistry and in the understanding of disease mechanisms are creating opportunities to identify potential new radiotracers.

The candidates are screened in several stages. For example, key pharmacokinetic factors that may limit a radiotracer’s ability to provide information about particular disease conditions include the time it takes for the tracer to be absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted.

CRC BID participants are developing new and improved radiotracers with high specificity for cancer and neurological diseases, together with chemical processes for the on-site production of radiotracers.

Project 1.1 Protein biosynthetic pathway targeting for PET imaging
Project 1.2 Neuroreceptor ligand targeting for PET imaging
Project 1.3 Development of novel receptor-based radiopharmaceuticals
Project 1.4 Apoptotic pathway targeting for PET imaging
Project 1.5 Development of synthesis modules for tracer production

Detector Research

The new radiotracers developed by CRC BID participants will enable much more specific imaging of the biological processes associated with the causes of particular diseases. However, optimal imaging of these tracers will require detectors with higher sensitivity and resolution than currently available.

To provide the enabling technology, CRC BID is developing two main types of detector: a strip detector and a pixel detector. These new detectors will provide greater sensitivity and contrast than currently available technologies in nuclear medicine applications and structural x-ray imaging.

Project 2.1 Strip detector
Project 2.2 Pixel array detector

 

Radiopharmaceutical Stream
Stream Leader: Rod Hicks

Detector Stream
Stream Leader: Rob Lewis

 

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