A PET scanner, for the average Canadian, is known as a big, white, box-shaped machine tucked away in a room where, as a patient, they would be escorted by a doctor, told to lie still and await further instructions until the anxiously anticipated diagnosis came in. Behind these machines lie a team of scientists and researchers, dedicated to using chemistry and technology to better detect and treat diseases.
Chemistry plays a crucial role in many areas of TRIUMF's science program. The nuclear medicine division at TRIUMF, led by Head of PET Chemistry Mike Adam, work closely with UBC's Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry group. This spring, two TRIUMF collaborators from this group have been recognized for their research excellence.
The UBC Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry group works with TRIUMF scientists to study new radiolabelling methods and chemistry, a crucial step in the development of new radiopharmaceuticals to image specific disease processes through PET or SPECT scanners. This collaboration works closely to synthetically produce biomolecules with specific and high affinity for cancerbiomarkers and develop these biomolecules into viable imaging or therapy agents.
The Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry group is led by Dr. Chris Orvig, a UBC professor who has collaborated with Mike Adam since 2003. This spring, Orvig was honoured with the Jacob Biely Research Prize, UBC's highest honour for research. Orvig was recognized for his distinguished record of published research, including ten publications in 2013.
Orvig and Adam jointly supervise four students and one postdoctoral fellow. One of these students, Eric Price, has also been recognized for his research excellence this spring. NSERC awarded Price a postgraduate fellowship to conduct research at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC) in New York. At MSKCC, he will work with Dr. Jason Lewis conducting research with radioactive metals towards new imaging agents and treatments for cancer. Specifically, Price will investigate PET imaging isotope Zr-89, developing anti-body based imaging of gastric cancer.
During his PhD, Price worked on the design and synthesis of novel chelators for radioactive metal ions, for application in radiopharmaceuticals. Chelators are compounds that bind these radio-metals allowing them to be transported to the cancer cells.
Congratulations to both Orvig and Price for their respective awards! TRIUMF is honoured to collaborate with such esteemed scientists.
The chemistry connections continue this June with TRIUMF's participation in the annual Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference, occurring in Vancouver. In addition to representation at the exhibition, TRIUMF will open the laboratory doors to conference delegates, who will have a chance to tour the site and gain a first-hand experience of the chemistry underway at TRIUMF. This year's conference is themed "from sea to sky," encompassing all disciplines ofchemistry. We are honoured to be a part of this event, which is Canada's largest annual event dedicated to the science and practice of chemistry.
*Pictured above is Mike Adam, with a patient, using a PET scanner.
–Prepared by Lindsay Kroes and Kyla Shauer, Communications Assistants