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.
Radiolabelled probes for improved health
Our research under radiolabelled probes for improved health is primarily focused on the development of radioactive probes and imaging techniques which optimise the assessment of a functional status of a disease, and to tailor radio-ligands that enable the best therapeutic plan for patients.
The use of radiolabelled probes to improve health currently has two components:
- Follow-up of disease progression and therapy benefits
- Help to adjust therapeutic strategy for each patient (personalized medicine)
This theme has three main research directions:
To develop novel radiochemistry methodology and radiolabelling techniques to improve radiolabelling efficiencies, and to decrease radiolabelling time via macro and microfluidic and microwave technologies
To develop novel radioligands (small molecules, peptides, proteins, cells or particles) for imaging (PET, SPECT) and targeted radioisotope therapy
To optimise imaging and quantification techniques for new radio-isotopes and various organs of interest
Our current projects
Radio-chemistry team
Development of radioautomation procedures for novel and existing 18F-synthons using automation modules
Development of ligands and analysis techniques for high valent, oxophillic radiometals
Development of [18F]synthons for protein and peptide conjugation
Investigations with Imaging team
Quantification of whole-body mice with PET and SPECT
Quantification and cross-calibration of pre-clinical PET imaging with long half-life radio-isotopes
Our collaborative work
- Imaging altered drug clearance in cancer models using 99mTc-Sestamibi Learn more
- Biological evaluation of iodobenzamides for therapeutic malignant melanoma applications
- Synthesis of Organic Cation Transporter 3 (OCT3) selective ligands for investigation of therapeutic potential in the treatment of psychiatric disorders
- Development of novel macrocycles and chelation technologies for simple and rapid radiolabelling of small molecules, peptides, proteins and cells with radiometals (89Zr, 90Nb, 64Cu, 177Lu, and 68Ga) for imaging and therapy