Specialization
Preclinical PET imaging, Radiochemistry, PET tracer development and evaluation in neurology and oncology, Animal models, Brain delivery of biologicals
Focus of research
My research focuses on the preclinical development and evaluation of innovative PET (positron emission tomography) tracers for imaging various biological targets, and to support drug development particularly in the field of neurology and oncology. The key areas of my research interest include:
Development of PET tracers for imaging activated microglia and α-synuclein aggregates: I am investigating novel PET tracers targeting P2X7R, P2Y12R, and TSPO to explore microglial activation states in multiple sclerosis and other neuroinflammatory conditions. Additionally, I am investigating and evaluating tracers for imaging α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.
Peptide and nanobody-based tracers for oncology: My work also encompasses the development of PET tracers targeting PD1 and PDL1 immune checkpoints in oncology. I aim to create tracers that bind outside the interaction region of PD1/PDL1 and therapeutic antibodies, improving patient selection and enabling monitoring of immune responses during immune checkpoint therapy.
Immuno-PET for the evaluation of enhanced brain delivery: I am expanding the application of Immuno-PET using Zirconium-89 for neurological applications. This includes evaluating various strategies, such as focused ultrasound with microbubbles and brain-shuttle bispecific constructs, to improve the delivery of biological agents like antibodies to the brain. I also focus on the use of Immuno-PET as a tool for quantifying brain delivery, kinetics, and target engagement of brain-targeted antibodies.
Overall, my ongoing research seeks to translate these imaging technologies into clinical applications, improving diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes in oncology and neurodegenerative disorders.