Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section

Focus

The Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section is a multidisciplinary research and education group in the Department of Radiology. The focus of the group is the development of new radiopharmaceuticals that provide diagnostic information on various organs in normal and disease states. Current research interests include developing imaging agents for CNS receptors (dopamine, serotonin neurotransmitter systems), Aß plaque-specific agents for imaging Alzheimer's disease, and sigma-2 specific agents targeting breast tumor imaging. In the last few years imaging of changes in tumor metabolism via glutaminolysis is a major effort. Several C-11 and F-18 glutamine-based PET imaging agents targeting FDG/PET negative tumors have been prepared and were tested in IND studies. Major research activity comprises a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines: drug design, organic synthesis, radiochemistry, receptor pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, PET and SPECT imaging.

Leadership

Hank Kung, PhD

Laboratory details