I am a clinician-scientist and the BC Leadership Chair in Functional Cancer Imaging with a primary interest in developing new molecular imaging tools and methods for the diagnosis and in vivo characterization of cancers. My expertise covers both pre-clinical research related to the evaluation of novel radiopharmaceuticals, from the design phase to receptor-binding assays, preclinical evaluation, and clinical research ranging from phase 0-1 studies to multicentre clinical trials. I bridge the gap between basic science and clinical applications.
We established a state-of-the art cyclotron and molecular imaging facility at BC Cancer. I have extensive experience directing PET programs and a cyclotron facility and have always been intimately involved in the operation of the cyclotron and radiochemistry laboratories. I managed the PET/CT core laboratory for the Medical Imaging Trial Network of Canada. As part of this network, I led multicenter prospective clinical trials on the use of 18F-NaF to detect bone metastases in breast and prostate cancers and on the clinical validation of cyclotron produced 99mTc. I am also leading clinical trials using 18F- and 177Lu-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer.
My team consists of scientists, technologists and trainees from a diverse background ranging from molecular biologists, chemists, radiochemists, medical physicists, nuclear medicine technologists to cyclotron operators. My research group currently includes 5 graduate students, 3 coop students, 5 post-doctoral fellows/research associates, 1 research radiochemist, 3 technicians, with 2 nuclear medicine technologists for preclinical imaging. Institutionally supported staff members include medical physicists who support the clinic and cyclotron facility, 4 radiochemists involved in routine production of radiotracers, a clinical research manager and multiple technologists. A QA manager and a QA specialist supervise the GMP aspects of our program.
