Radiopharmaceutical research applications
ANSTO LifeSciences (formerly the Radiophamaceutical Research Institute or RRI) develops radiopharmaceuticals for both imaging and treatment of diseases. It focuses on developing new agents that can be used to identify the presence of diseases, and in the management or treatment of patients.
Developments are based on attaching a radioactive element to a molecule. ANSTO is working on radiolabelling applications for both single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET).
ANSTO develops imaging agents that can improve cancer patient management with an emphasis on melanoma, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer. Radiopharmaceuticals can be used to test how well treatment is working, and to determine how advanced a disease and what may be the best treatment options.
ANSTO is also investigating radiopharmaceutical use in the detection and, therefore, management of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, glioma, Parkinson's and Huntington's chorea - as well as Multiple Sclerosis.
Collaborative research on schizophrenia focuses on cannabinoid receptors.
ANSTO is a member of the Cooperative Research Centre for Biomedical Imaging Development, which is developing imaging techniques and equipment for application in biomedicine and fostering Australian expertise and capabilities in biomedical imaging. Many projects in this centre are aimed at imaging of cancer.