Theranostics with Radiolabeled Nanomaterials Sydney Nano Scientific Seminar

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Please join The University of Sydney Nano Institute for a Sydney Nano Scientific Seminar '(Cancer) Theranostics with (Intrinsically) Radiolabeled Nanomaterials' presented by Professor Weibo Cai, PhD, Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Associate Professor Yixiang Gan, Faculty of Engineering and Sydney Nano Deputy Director, Member Engagement hosts and moderates this seminar.

About the talk:

Radiolabeled nanomaterials have gained tremendous interest over the last 2 decades, which can play diverse roles in imaging, image-guided drug delivery, as well as theranostics of a number of diseases such as cancer. Some recent examples of radiolabeled materials from our recent work will be briefly described in this talk.

Although chelator-based radiolabeling techniques (commonly used for labeling nanomaterials with radiometals such as 64Cu/89Zr) have been used for decades, concerns about the complexity of coordination chemistry, possible alteration of nanomaterial pharmacokinetics, and potential detachment of radioisotopes have driven the need for developing a simpler yet better technique for future radiolabeling, which may facilitate future clinical translation.

The emerging area of intrinsically radiolabeled nanomaterials can take advantage of the unique physical and chemical properties of well-selected inorganic or organic nanomaterials for radiolabeling, and more importantly, offer an easier, faster, and more specific radiolabeling possibility to facilitate future clinical translation. Generally speaking, the four major categories of intrinsically radiolabeled nanomaterials include: 1) hot-plus-cold precursors, 2) specific trapping, 3) cation exchange, and 4) proton beam activation.

Representative examples of these strategies will be briefly illustrated in this talk, with the main focus on our own work that involves the radiolabeling of a variety of nanomaterials via “specific trapping”. The nanomaterials investigated in our laboratory include silica/carbon-based nanomaterials, COVID-19 nano-vaccines, multifunctional/multimodal hybrid nanomaterials, iron oxide nanoparticles, micelles, DNA nanostructures, etc.

Event details:

• Thursday 15 June
• 10:00am - 11:00am (AEST), followed by late morning tea
• In person only
• Room 4020, Level 4, Research Space, Sydney Nanoscience Hub (Building A31), The University of Sydney
• see map

Please be sure to RSVP to the event by Tuesday 13 June.

About the speaker:

Weibo Cai is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Radiology, Medical Physics, Materials Science & Engineering, and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He received a BS degree in Chemistry from Nanjing University, China (1995) and a PhD degree in Chemistry from the University of California San Diego (2004). Between 2005 and 2008, Dr. Cai did his post-doctoral research in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford University. In February 2008, Dr. Cai joined the University of Wisconsin - Madison as a Biomedical Engineering Cluster Hire, and was promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure in 2014, and Full Professor in 2018. Dr. Cai’s research at UW-Madison (http://mi.wisc.edu) is primarily focused on molecular imaging and nanobiotechnology.

Dr. Cai has authored >380 peer-reviewed articles (total citation: >36,000 times; h-index: 101), edited 3 books, and given >330 talks. Dr. Cai has received many awards, including the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Springer Prize (2011 & 2013), American Cancer Society Research Scholar (2013-2017), EANM Annual Congress Plenary Lecturer (2016), Inaugural Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) in Nanobiotechnology Award (2018), Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE, 2018), Highly Cited Researchers from Clarivate Analytics (Cross-Field, 2018), Fellow of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI, 2019), Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, 2021), SNMMI Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Council’s Michael J. Welch Award (2022), Journal of Nanobiotechnology (JNB) Trailblazer Award (BMC/Springer Nature, 2022), among others.

Dr. Cai has served on the Editorial Board of >20 scientific journals (e.g. Theranostics, Journal of Nuclear Medicine, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Molecular Pharmaceutics, Bioconjugate Chemistry, American Journal of Cancer Research, American Journal of Translational Research, Exploration, etc.), and participated in many grant review panels (NIH, DOD, NSF, American Cancer Society, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas [CPRIT], Susan G. Komen, European Research Council, Canadian Cancer Society, Prostate Cancer Canada, many European countries, etc.). He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Nanobiotechnology (impact factor 9.429), Editor-in-Chief of American Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, and Associate Editor of European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (impact factor 10.057).

Image below: Prof Weibo Cai