INTERFACE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Univ Of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description) This is a categorical seminar to be held Saturday, June 3, 2000 prior to the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine which will commence the following day in St. Louis, MO. One objective of this seminar series is to bring together several members of the nuclear medicine community who are making important use of molecular biology in their research. We hope to provide attendees with an opportunity to learn from these experts on how the tools of molecular biology have been and can be applied to improve nuclear medicine imaging and therapy. A second objective is to continue a policy of introducing molecular biological concepts to the nuclear medicine specialist by providing several introductory presentations and by asking these speakers to introduce their subjects at a basic level consistent with this policy. We believe that these, and other, examples of the applications of molecular biology will be essential for the nuclear medicine specialist in the near future. As before, we view this categorical seminar is one important step in providing this basic understanding. Specifically, the aim of this seminar is to enable the attendees to understand: 1. The basics of molecular biology relevant to nuclear medicine. In particular, the basics of gene expression and control and the basics of recombinant DNA approaches to protein synthesis; 2. One method of imaging gene expression by targeting reporter proteins expressing endogenous chelators with weak complexes of Tc-99m; 3. Another method of imaging gene expression by targeting reporter somatostatin receptors with In-111 labeled octreoscan; 4. The use of recombinant DNA techniques to prepare engineered antibody constructs with improved properties for imaging with various radioisotopes; 5. Current status of antisense imaging in nuclear medicine and its relation to aptamers; and 6. The use of DNA triplex formation as a means of localizing radio iodinated DNA to intracellular targets for therapy.