Thurecht Group Honours Projects

 Supervisor Professor Kristofer Thurecht

Molecular imaging has had a profound influence on modern diagnostics and has helped drive the evolving field of nanomedicine. "Theranostics", the portmanteau of therapy and diagnostics, is one sub-section of nanomedicine and offers the opportunity to monitor the effectiveness of a therapy using molecular imaging techniques - this may be achieved by monitoring drug release from a carrier, defining tumour boundaries or quantifying necrosis. In this project we will develop biocompatible polymeric or biologic devices that target a specific disease state in vivo, and subsequently deliver a therapy to treat that disease using various biological stimuli. The effectiveness of treatment will then be monitored using molecular imaging. This will involve utilising advanced chemistries for both the synthesis of drug conjugates, and subsequent ligation of cell-targeting and imaging moieties. The various architectural delivery vehicles will be investigated by techniques such as NMR, GPC-MALLS, DLS, HPLC, UV-VIS etc. The theranostics will incorporate imaging components for modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT) and optical imaging to definitively locate and monitor tumour regression.

Enrolling School: School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences (SCMB) Suitable academic background: BSc Chemistry or Biotechnology

Skills obtained in project: Advanced materials science, polymer science, biomaterials science; biotechnology; biomedical engineering

Publication & postgraduate career potentials: All of our projects will lead to refereed publications and prepare the student for postgraduate studies.

 Supervisor Professor Kristofer Thurecht

In targeted radionuclide therapy (endoradiotherapy), a radiolabelled targeting agent is systemically administered with the aim of delivering radiation selectively to cancer tissue while minimising toxic effects. There has been a recent rapid upsurge of interest in isotopes emitting alpha particles for endoradiotherapy. This has been fuelled by the recognition of their potential as highly specific and potent treatments in many types of late-stage cancer and of several key advantages over other radioisotopes. In this project, we will explore the development of new therapeutic agents that utilise alpha emitting isotopes, bringing new findings from diverse areas such as target discovery, chelator and linker chemistries and applications of radiochemistry. New probes will be evaluated with respect to radiobiological effects in cells and potentially small animal models. Advanced characterisation techniques such as NMR, Mass Spec., PAGE, HPCL and UV-VIS will be used, as well as various in vitro assays to assess the new radiopharmaceuticals.

Enrolling School: School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences (SCMB) Suitable academic background: BSc Chemistry or Biotechnology

Skills obtained in project: Chemistry, biotechnology, biology, radiochemistry

Publication & postgraduate career potentials: All of our projects will lead to refereed publications and prepare the student for postgraduate studies.