Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre
Research Area: Pre-Clinical Imaging
Pre-clinical imaging research is carried out using the micro MRI and pre-clinical PET/CT scanners. Projects currently underway include:
- Development of imaging biomarkers for neurological diseases. This project is being carried out in partnership with a local biotech company and aims to develop imaging biomarkers that can ultimately be used for human diagnosis.
- A study of age related changes in brain structure, in collaboration with Dr Gernot Riedel
- Imaging dopamine levels as a biomarker of a 5-HT2c mediated effect, principal investigator Dr Andy Welch, funded by the pharmaceutical company,Wyeth. The main aim of the project is to develop methods to study the effect of novel pharmaceuticals on dopamine levels in the brain.
- Development of novel PET tracers for imaging cancer. We have proposed two approaches for the development of novel diagnostic agents for cancer; transferrin and CYP450. Transferrin is a compound that attaches to receptors on cancer cells and transfers its radio-label into the cell. We aim to develop Co-55 labelled transferin as a specific PET tracer for this pathway. Cytochrome P450 is an enzyme that is expressed constitutively only by tumour cells and as such is widely recognised as a biomarker of the neoplastic phenotype. We have identified a potential synthesis method for an inhibitor of CYP1B1 and aim to test its efficacy as a tumour specific PET tracer.
- Studying the mechanism of uptake of PET tracers in cancer cells. We have a number of projects aimed at improving our understanding of the mechanisms that govern uptake of PET tracers in tumour cells. Tracers studied to date include FDG and [C-11]Choline and studies include both normal uptake and changes in response to chemotherapy, in both normal and resistant cell lines.
Contact: Professor A Welch