Development of molecular imaging modalities for non-invasive visualization of apoptosis targeting the process at different cellular and molecular level. Development of new molecular probes and targets for apoptosis imaging.

Most anti-cancer drugs and gamma-irradiation exert their lethal effect by inducing apoptosis. Therefore a defective apoptotic program in cancer cells often leads to treatment failure. Several imaging modalities have been tested for non-invasive visualization of apoptosis in vivo including nuclear medicine and MR techniques.

 In the development of this workpackage the following lines of research will be activated:

·        Development of new molecular probes targeting the apoptotic process at different cellular level with the attainment of a series of compounds that will be labelled with both gamma and positron emitters. Characterization of radiolabel compounds in cultured tumour cell lines and imaging in animal models by SPECT/PET.

·        Development of MRI/MRS imaging modalities to detect apoptosis at lipid rearrangement levels with comparative evaluation of sensitivity and cpecificity of different MR-imaging methods in pre-clinical tumour models following treatment with anticancer agents.

·        Imaging of apoptosis at mitochondrial level using SPECT in cancer patients following treatment with anticancer drugs

·        Testing multimodality imaging of apoptosis. Development of imaging protocols and standardization of procedures for clinical applications.

·        Identification of new molecular targets suitable for apoptosis imaging at signal transduction levels. Structural, biochemical, and functional studies of the new targets.