How We Use the Mouse Model to Study Radiotherapeutics/Decontamination at LBNL, Alexia Cosby

Speaker Alexia Cosby - September 18, 2023

The mouse model is an essential component for validating preclinical research. Here at LBNL, we use the mouse model to investigate two distinct challenges: 1) designing and evaluating radiotheranostics, and 2) understanding radiocontamination in the event of a nuclear disaster.Radiotheranostics for cancer diagnosis is a dynamic approach to dually diagnose and treat malignancies with a pair of tandem radioisotopes. An alternative approach to a targeting system is herein explored through the development of siderocalin-Trastuzumab fusion proteins, where the Scn protein is fused with HER2+ targeting antibody trastuzumab. We demonstrate the efficacy of the tetravalent theranostic metal pair 227 Th (therapy, α, t 1/2 =10 d) and 89 Zr (imaging, β +, t 1/2 = 78 hr). In addition to radiotheranostics, we investigate the decontamination of radiometals after inhalation. The hydroxypyridinone chelator HOPO demonstrates prophylactic efficacy in mice contaminated with Am-241.