Award Details:
Award Type: Catalyst
Award #: C-085
Proposal Title: Defining Prostate Tumor Malignancy with Activity-Dependent Pet Probes
PI(s): Raymond Moellering (UChicago) and Sarki Abdulkadir (NU)
Award Amount: $250,000.00
Application Cycle: Round 24 (Fall 2017)
Award Start Date: March 1, 2018
Award End Date: February 29, 2020
Abstract:
The research proposed herein aims to harness genetically-defined prostate cancer organoids to validate and develop a new class of imaging probes targeting an enzyme, NCEH1, that is elevated in aggressive cancer cells. We expect that the proposed molecules, 18F-JW576 and related analogs, will afford several advantages compared to currently used imaging probes, including: A) covalent targeting of NCEH1, which should lead to high-dynamic signal range; B) high potency relative to metabolic tracers; C) the potential to provide quantitative insight into tumor malignancy, as the target is directly correlated to progression and metastasis. To accomplish these goals, we will identify the genetic alterations associated with NCEH1 overexpression in prostate cancer organoids, and simultaneously validate the utility of 18F- JW576 to detect and track tumor metastasis in aggressive prostate cancer.