ANSTO's research capabilities, led by the OPAL nuclear research reactor and associated instruments provide access to users investigating areas as diverse as materials, life sciences, climate change and mining/engineering.
Radio-metal Probes
Our radio-metals research team access and utilise a diverse set of radioisotopes for both applied and fundamental research projects. These currently include 67Ga/68Ga, 64Cu, 99mTc, 111In, 57Co, 89Zr and 177Lu. In the near future 86Y and 90Nb will be added to our suite of research isotopes.
Applied activities focus on the radiolabelling of key biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, antibodies and even cells, either directly with the radio-metal or via a metal-chelate complex.
Our fundamental research involves exploration of new 'exotic' radio-metals and developing the next generation of ligands for radio-metal complexation to be used in diagnosis and therapeutic applications.
Dr Ivan Greguric, Head of Radiochemistry, is supported by Dr Nigel Lengkeek, Radio-metals theme leader, and Dr Ben Fraser, Organic Chemistry task leader.
Radio-metal probe capabilities
- Development of radio-synthons and radio-metal complexes
Contact scientists: Nigel Lengkeek, Ben Fraser, Ivan Greguric
- Development of radio-metals from reactor-irradiated targets
Contact scientist: Paul Pellegrini
- Development of radio-metal probes - optimisation of cell, antibody, peptide, protein, or nanoparticle radiolabelling with radio-metals
Contact scientists: Paul Pellegrini, Ivan Greguric, Ben Fraser
- Separation and analysis of radio-metals
Contact scientists: Nigel Lengkeek, Paul Pellegrini
- Thermodynamic parameters and kinetic profiles of radio-metal complexation
Contact scientists: Nigel Lengkeek, Paul Pellegrini