Instrumentation, Image Processing and Diagnostic Innovations

Development of novel PET radiotracers for immunoPET imaging of heart and brain

The recent advances in antibody engineering has made it possible to construct antibodies with ultimate target specificity and tailored pharmacokinetics. Besides their extensive use for targeted therapies, recombinant antibodies are critical tools in diagnostic immuno PET imaging in oncology, as well as are driving exciting developments in the emerging field of PET imaging for CNS and cardiovascular diseases. This research project focuses on immuno PET imaging of novel molecular targets related to the health of heart and brain and exploring the possibilities of novel pretargeted PET radiopharmaceuticals.  

Key words:
ImmunoPET, PET imaging, PET radiotracers, Pharmacokinetics, Heart health, Brain health
RESEARCH_INNOVATIONS_IN_DIAGNOSTICS_Airaksinen
Overview of the Research Project and Collaborative Environment:

The project builds on the combined expertise of two laboratories utilizing the most recent technologies in antibody engineering and PET radiochemistry, respectively, to develop pharmacokinetically tailored recombinant antibody fragments for PET imaging of target proteins in the heart and brain. Our laboratories possesses a comprehensive array of tools for the discovery and engineering of novel recombinant antibodies. These include high-performing human antibody phage libraries, bacterial and mammalian expression systems, and efficient methods for purification and characterization, allowing us to engineer antibodies in various formats for diverse applications. Moreover, we have developed radiosynthetic chemistry for labelling of antibodies and other biomacromolecules in mild reaction conditions with positron emitters, such as 18F, 68Ga and 89Zr. The developed methods have been successfully utilized for evaluation of new PET tracer candidates for pretargeted and targeted PET imaging. As an example, by joined research efforts of our groups, we have successfully created a 1st generation of novel antibody fragment based tracers specific to the GABA-A a1 receptor subtype. [18F]scFv1F4 and [89Zr]di-scFv1F4 were developed for imaging GABA-A a1 receptor subtype in peripheral organs and in the brain. From these the bispecific [89Zr]di-scFv1F4 was able to cross the blood-brain barrier. The single fragment, [18F]scFv1F4, exhibited favorable pharmacokinetics and specific signal in the heart with areas with highest expression of the α1 subunit of GABA-A receptors, with highest activity 2h after the injection (Figure 1).

The candidate should have:
Selected publications:
Anu Airaksinen
Professor
Turku PET Centre/Department of Chemistry
Urpo Lamminmäki
Professor
Department of Life Technologies
Ultrasensitive immunoassays for neurological biomarkers

Currently the practical use of protein biomarkers for neurological diseases is significantly limited due to their presence in blood at hardly detectable or totally undetectable levels using conventional immunoassay technologies, which are routinely used for other biomarkers. The neurological biomarkers can be studied using cerebral spinal fluid, but measurement of proteins leaking through the blood-brain barrier would enable significantly less invasive blood sampling. Thus, the availability of ultrasensitive immunoassays would facilitate convenient testing and support development of neurological biomarkers to earlier diagnostics of neurological disorders.  

We have developed in collaboration with European wide research network a new superior luminescent reporter technology, photon upconversion luminescence, and demonstrated its capability to ultrasensitive detection at conventional immunoassay platform matching the sensitivity of even the most complex digital immunoassays based on special instrumentation. Photon upconversion is based on trivalent lanthanide doped nanomaterials capable of stacking the energy of two absorbed low-energy near-infrared photons to emit a single high-energy photon at visible wavelengths. The resulting anti-Stokes photoluminescence, which is measurable using inexpensive epifluorescence setup, enables total elimination of background autofluorescence and results in exceptionally low limit of detection in immunoassays for protein biomarkers. 

The limit-of-detection in photon upconversion luminescence-based assays is still fundamentally restricted by the specific binding strength of the employed antibodies and the non-specific binding of the reporter-antibody conjugates. To enable further improvement of the assay sensitivity we are currently studying active techniques and countermeasures to reduce and eliminate the signal originating from the non-specific interactions of the reporter-antibody conjugates. These techniques could enable a breakthrough in the development of ultrasensitive immunoassays using photon upconversion luminescence. 

Key words:
Digital immunoassay, In vitro diagnostics, Diagnostic discovery, Neurological disorders, Neurological biomarkers, Blood test limit-of-detection, Blood-brain barrier leakage, photon upconversion luminescence
Selected publications:
Instrumentation and Image Processing (IntoImaging) Research Group

We are looking for an active post-doctoral researcher to join our Instrumentation and Image Processing team (IntoImaging research group: https://sites.utu.fi/intoimaging/en/). Our team is a technically oriented focusing on methodological research in PET imaging, working with a close collaboration with the other clinical and research teams, including cardiometabolic and brain health in Turku PET Centre. You will be tightly working with a multi-disciplinary team consisting of people with backgrounds in medicine, engineering, physics and modelling.

Our main research focus is PET and other medical imaging techniques, with the two main clinical applications focusing tightly on the fields in cardiovascular and brain imaging. Especially, we investigate PET image reconstruction methods, including attenuation and motion correction. We also develop image processing tools for medical purposes, including machine learning methods. Some of our research topics include but are not limited to: Medical tomography image analysis using AI, Motion correction of PET images, MRI based attenuation correction of PET images, Image quantification accuracy, New kinetic modelling approaches for total body PET and New tools for medical image analysis and diagnostics.

In our group, you would be participating to grounds-up methods development: by developing methods to improve the quantitative accuracy of PET, development of new tools for modelling and analysis of PET images, investigation of the accuracy and effect of different methodological factors affecting PET image quantification and determining whether application of AI would bring a significant benefit in any of these sub-topics. Our goal is to develop methods to improve the quantitative accuracy, applicability and effectiveness of PET imaging in cardiometabolic and brain studies as well as enabling efficient analysis of such data.

We are looking for candidates with the relevant background, experience and PhD degree in medicine, medical physics, biomedical engineering, or related backgrounds e.g. computational science to apply. Independent of the background of the applicant, understanding and proven track record (e.g. by publications) from PET imaging and method development is required.

We value good programming skills in Python and MATLAB, require ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and to have good and active communication and teamwork skills. Work experience from a clinical environment, or a clinical background is considered a plus. We are dedicated to host researchers who strive for academic excellence and are devoted in helping them to excel in their research careers by providing them the best possible grounds for their research as well as direction and mentoring.

Key words:
PET imaging, image quantification, motion correction, modelling, machine learning
Selected publications:
Jarmo Teuho
Docent (Adj. Prof) in Medical Imaging Physics and Technology
PhD in Medical Physics and Engineering
Academy Research Fellow, Turku PET Centre

In your contact email please indicate clearly in the headline your interest in the SYSLIFE position.

Investigators
Docent Jarmo Teuho, PhD
Associate Professor Riku Klén, PhD
In vitro diagnostic tests for cardiac biomarkers

Laboratory tests are being used around the world for diagnosing cardiac diseases and estimating the risk for adverse cardiac events. However, these tests are not optimal and tests with better clinical specificity and sensitivity are needed to improve patient care. At the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory, we aim to develop laboratory tests for novel cardiac biomarkers that will have significant impact on how cardiac diseases are diagnosed and treated.   

The Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory of the Biotechnology Unit at the Department of Life Technologies is focused on developing highly sensitive immunoassays for novel cardiac biomarkers and investigating the clinical use of these biomarkers for diagnosis and risk prediction of cardiac diseases. The group, led by Assistant Professor Saara Wittfooth, applies the innovative label technologies developed at the Biotechnology Unit to develop unique assays that are not available in any other laboratory (examples of such assays are the assays for long cardiac troponin T, free PAPP-A and cardiac troponin autoantibodies). The work includes developing immunoassays in various platforms by designing antibody combinations and optimizing assay conditions and procedures. The work involves close collaboration with cardiologists around the world. 

Lately the research of the Laboratory has been focused on different forms of cardiac troponins. Tests for cardiac troponins (cardiac troponin I and cardiac troponin T, cTnT) are widely used for diagnosing myocardial infarction around the world. However, the high sensitivity troponin tests that are currently used in the hospitals produce elevated results also in many other situations than myocardial infarction (such as impaired kidney function, atrial fibrillation, severe infections, strenuous physical exercise). Therefore, there is a high demand for a more specific diagnostic test for myocardial infarction. We have developed in the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory a novel simple immunoassay-based test that detects only the long forms of cTnT, while the tests being used at hospitals detect the long and short forms of cTnT. Our first studies have shown very promising results, as the long cTnT test was able to differentiate between myocardial infarction patients and end-stage renal disease patients much better than the troponin test currently in use at hospitals.  

Another research topic gaining more interest after a while in the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory is the cardiac troponin autoantibodies (cTnAAb). cTnAAb, which have been found in the blood of myocardial infarction patients but also in healthy individuals, can cause negative interference in immunoassays by masking the epitopes of the assay antibodies. An assay to detect cTnAAb in patient samples was previously developed in the Laboratory. Lately there has been increasing interest in the scientific community towards macrotroponins, circulating complexes of troponins and cTnAAb, which may cause positive interference due to reduced clearance. We are now interested in examining macrotroponins with the available cTnAAb assay as well as with other methods in various patient groups. 

Key words:
In vitro diagnostics, Myocardial infarction, Cardiac biomarkers, Cardiac troponins, Troponin autoantibodies
The candidate should have:
Selected publications:
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