Abstract
Accounting for 90% of cancer-related deaths, metastasis represents the greatest challenge in oncology, as cancer cells spread to vital organs and evade traditional therapies such as chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy. Recent clinical evidence points to targeted radioligand therapy as a breakthrough approach to addressing this gap in cancer care, offering highly effective treatments with minimal side effects. This PhD project centers on the investigation of cutting-edge FAPI radioligands that specifically target the tumor microenvironment, focusing on Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP), which is overexpressed in the metastatic stroma across a wide range of cancers. This pan-cancer, one-fits-all approach seeks to employ newly developed FAP inhibitor (FAPI) radioligands designed to improve tumor retention and precision in targeting metastatic lesions for therapeutic applications. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, the project will assess the pharmacokinetics, tumor targeting, retention, therapeutic efficacy, and radiobiological effects of radiolabeled FAPI analogues in advanced metastatic models, benchmarking their performance against existing agents. By advancing this innovative research, the project aims to deliver more effective, targeted therapeutic options with fewer side effects, creating new opportunities for treating patients with hard-to-treat metastatic cancers.
Researcher(s)
Research team(s)
Project type(s)