4. MEDICAL SCIENCES

The Department of Energy (DOE) Medical Sciences program covers a broad range of energy‑related technologies including nuclear medicine and advanced imaging instrumentation. DOE is interested in innovative research involving medical technologies to facilitate and advance the current state of diagnosis and treatment of human disorders.

Principles of physics, chemistry, and engineering are being employed to advance fundamental concepts dealing with human health, to utilize the study of molecular interactions for a better understanding of organ function, and to develop innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices, and informatics systems for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and for improving human health. The DOE Advanced Medical Instrumentation program seeks to capitalize on the unique physical sciences and engineering capabilities at the DOE's national laboratories to develop new technologies that will have a significant impact on human health.

With respect to nuclear medicine, current areas of research include the development of: (1) radiopharmaceuticals as radiotracers to study in vivo chemistry, metabolism, cell communication, and gene expression in normal and disease states, and as therapeutic agents; and (2) new radionuclide imaging systems. Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics:

a. Development of Novel Probes for Biomedical Applications—Grant applications are sought to develop improved and new probes (fluorescent, electron dense, vibrational tags, etc.) with optimum physico-chemical properties for visualization, tracking, assembly, and disassembly of the multiprotein complexes that execute cellular functions and govern both cell form and components. These multifunctional probes would measure structure, including post-translational modification, and would function in real time. Novel probes are also needed to enable rapid visualization and quantification of intracellular processes with high spatial resolution. Probes should be selective, non-perturbative, resistant to degradation, and have unique spectroscopic signatures. Grant applications must present unambiguous experimental systems to validate probe performance and demonstrate that the research will ultimately result in new sensors for medical applications. Several DOE national laboratories have developed considerable expertise in this research area and are available for possible collaboration.

b. Radiopharmaceutical Development for Radiotracer Diagnosis and Targeted Molecular Therapy—Grant applications are sought to develop: (1) radiolabeled compounds that could have applications as radiotracers for radionuclide imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography; (2) improved and simplified production of radiolabeled compounds through the use of mini-accelerator technology or automated radiochemical analysis/synthesis techniques; and (3) radiopharmaceuticals for targeted molecular therapy. Of particular interest are radiochemical, synthetic, and combinatorial molecular engineering approaches. All efforts should ultimately result in a product for nuclear medicine use.

c. Advanced Imaging Technologies—Grant applications are sought for new, sensitive, high resolution instrumentation for radionuclide imaging. The instrumentation should advance the application of radiotracer methodologies for imaging molecular biological functions including cell communication and gene expression in vivo. Areas of interest include the development of: (1) new detector materials and detector arrays for both positron emission and single photon emission computed tomography; (2) software for rapid image data processing and image reconstruction; and (3) methods of integrating in vitro and in vivo instrumentation technologies for real time molecular imaging of biological function and for new drug development and utilization.

References:

1. Nuclear Science (NSS/MIC) 2002 IEEE Symposium and Medical Imaging, Conference, Proceedings, IEEE, 2002. (CD-ROM 2002) (ISBN: 0-7803-7637-4) (IEEE Product No.: CH37399C-TBR) (To view contents and to order proceedings, control+click on title above.)

2. Nuclear Science (NSS/MIC) 2002 IEEE Symposium and Medical Imaging, Conference, Proceedings, IEEE, 2002. (Soft Cover 2002) (ISBN: 0-7803-7636-6) (Product No.: CH37399-TBR) (To view contents and to order conference proceedings, control+click on title above.)

3. Bushberg, J. T., et al., The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, November 2001. (ISBN: 0683301187) (To order, control+click on title above.)

4. Hendee, W. R. and Ritenour, R. E., Medical Imaging Physics, 4th ed., New York: Wiley-Liss, June 2002. (ISBN: 047138) (To order, control+click on title above.)

5. Feinendegen, L. E., et al., eds., Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Springer-Verlag, January 2003. (ISBN: 3540001328)( To order, control+click on title above.)

6. Kowalsky, R. J. and Falen, S. W., Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Pharmacy and Nuclear Medicine, 2nd ed., Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association, July 2004. (ISBN: 1582120315) (For press release and ordering information, see http://aphanet.org/news/04-054.pdf)

7. Wahl, R. L., ed., Buchanan, J. W., assoc. ed., Principles and Practice of Positron Emission Tomography, Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, August 2002. (ISBN: 0781729041) (Publisher’s description and ordering information available at: http://www.lww.com/product/?0-7817-2904-1)

8. “Supplementary Information,” at Web site for DOE Office of Science, Notice 03-14: Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Nuclear Medicine Science Research - Medical Applications Program. (Available at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/grants/Fr03-14.html. Scroll down page to text under “Supplementary Information.”)

9. Vera, D. R. and Eckelman, W. C., “Receptor 1980 and Receptor 2000: Twenty Years of Progress in Receptor-Binding Radiotracers,” Nuclear Medicine and Biology, 28(5):475-476, July 2001. (ISSN: 0969-8051) (Abstract and ordering information available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/. Under “Search for a title, enter Nuclear Medicine and Biology. Continue search using information given above.)

10. Welch, M. J. and Redvanly, C. S., eds., Handbook of Radiopharmaceuticals: Radiochemistry and Applications, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, January 2003. (ISBN: 0-471-49560-3) (Table of contents and ordering information available at: http://www.wiley.ca/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471495603.html)

11. Cherry, S. R., et al., Physics in Nuclear Medicine, 3rd ed., Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders, June 2003. (ISBN: 072168341X)

12. Sandler, M. P., et al., eds., Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine, 4th ed., Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, October 2002. (ISBN: 0781732522) (Publisher’s description and ordering information available at: http://www.lww.com/product/?0-7817-3252-2)

Return to the Complete List of Topics.