Focus
Our program focuses on the development of novel probes for use with the molecular imaging technique, positron emission tomography (PET). We apply basic principles of medicinal chemistry and structural biology to design and optimize probes for preclinical and translational imaging studies. Current research focuses mostly on radiotracers for imaging PARP-1 expression in tumors ([18F]FTT), cell proliferation and quiescence ([18F]ISO-1) oxidative stress ([18F]ROStrace), dopamine receptor dysregulation, and abnormal protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disorders such as alpha synuclein in Parkinson’s disease.
Leadership
Laboratory details
- Makvandi M, Pantel A, Schwartz L, Schubert E, Xu K, Hsieh CJ, Hou C, Kim H, Weng CC, Winters H, Doot R, Farwell MD, Pryma DA, Greenberg RA, Mankoff DA, Simpkins F, Mach RH, Lin LL. A PET imaging agent for evaluating PARP-1 expression in ovarian cancer. J Clin Invest. 2018; 2116-2126.
- Hou C, Hsieh CJ, Li S, Lee H, Graham TJ, Xu K, Weng CC, Doot RK, Chu W, Chakraborty SK, Dugan LL, Mintun MA, Mach RH. Development of a Positron emission tomography radiotracer for imaging elevated levels of superoxide in neuroinflammation. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2018; 9: 578-586.
- Hsieh CJ, Ferrie JJ, Xu K, Lee I, Graham TJA, Tu Z, Yu J, Dhavale D, Kotzbauer P, Petersson EJ, Mach RH. Alpha synuclein fibrils contain multiple binding sites for small molecules. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2018; 9: 2521 - 2527.
Faculty
Staff
- Janet Barrow
Administrative Coordinator - Evan Gallagher
Graduate Student - Catherine Hou
Researcher - Chia-Ju Hsieh, MS
Researcher - Ho Young Kim, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Boeun Lee, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Kosta Plakas
Post Doctoral Fellow - Aladdin Riad, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Mark Schneider
Researcher - Guilong Tian, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Kuiying Xu, PhD
Research Scientist
- Bieneke Janssen, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Zsofia Lengyel, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow - Laura Puentes, MS
Graduate Student
Robert H. Mach, Ph.D.
Britton Chance Professor of Radiology
rmach@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Janet Barrow
Administrative Coordinator
barrowj@pennmedicine.upenn.edu