Radiopharmaceutical therapies have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatments. Safe next-generation nuclear reactors can open the door to producing an affordable clean energy source. More efficient computing chips could lessen the energy demands created by artificial intelligence.
Three award-winning researchers who have recently joined the Tickle College of Engineering faculty are at the forefront of helping position the University of Tennessee as a leader in these respective areas. Carolyn Anderson, Laurent Capolungo, and Deep Jariwala bring an expertise to the university that will push the boundaries of innovation and perform research that changes lives.
Anderson has joined TCE as the UT-ORNL governor’s chair for nuclear medicine: radiopharmaceutical therapies. Jariwala has joined TCE as the UT-ORNL governor’s chair for quantum devices. Capolungo is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
“We are excited to add to our world-class faculty with these three talented individuals,” said TCE Dean Matthew Mench, the Wayne T. Davis dean’s chair of the college. “All are established leaders in their respective fields and will help us build on institutional strengths and partnerships we have. The cutting-edge research they bring to our campus will help sustain the magnificent momentum the Tickle College of Engineering has established.”
Targeted Cancer Treatments
Anderson believes Tennessee provides an ideal ecosystem to become a national hub for radiopharmaceutical therapies and innovation. Anderson is developing promising new approaches to cancer treatments using radioactive isotopes to target cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Through UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Radiopharmaceutical Therapies Convergent Research Initiative, Anderson is collaborating with researchers from UT, ORNL, and the UT Health Science Center to advance her work.
From 2014–2018, Tennessee experienced the 21st-highest cancer incidence rate and the 6th-highest cancer mortality rate in the United States, according to the State of Tennessee Cancer Plan for 2022–27.
In recent years, Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly have made significant investments in nuclear research, innovation, and workforce development, helping position Tennessee as a national leader in nuclear science and technology.
The state’s strong industry partnerships and access to world-class facilities will enhance Anderson’s work and provide a potential pathway to commercialize any next-generation cancer therapies she develops through her research.
“The radiopharmaceuticals for treating cancer are here,” Anderson said. “There are two targeted radio pharmaceutical therapy agents that have been FDA-approved since 2018 for treating neuroendocrine tumors and metastatic prostate cancer.”
Anderson’s lab is developing the next generation of novel radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and treatment of disease, primarily cancer. The research involves working with reactor-produced isotopes, primarily beta minus emitters (Lu-177 and Tb-161), as well as alpha-emitters (Ac-225 and Pb-212) that are generator-produced at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
In the process of radiopharmaceutical development, Anderson’s lab performs experiments to identify molecular targeted proteins that are expressed in high numbers on cancer cells, design molecules that bind to those proteins, and then test the novel radiolabeled compounds for how well they target tumors in small animal models, with the ultimate goal of moving new agents into first-in-human studies.
“We think there’s more promise in the alpha emitters that are produced down the road at ORNL,” Anderson said. “And the research that we can do here is going to lead to progress in developing the next-generation alpha-emitting isotopes that are going to be much more potent for treating cancer.”
A major component of developing successful therapeutic agents is keeping radioactive metals tightly attached to the cancer-targeting molecule. Anderson has been working with beta-emitting lead-212 (Pb-212) that decays to the alpha-emitting bismuth-212 (Bi-212) daughter isotope. If the Bi-212 is released from the targeted molecule, it can cause kidney damage.
Her lab has been working on how to design improved chelating compounds that can better hold on to the Pb-212 and the Bi-212 isotopes, keeping them with the tumor rather than releasing them into the body where they will cause kidney damage and/or other organ damage. Future research projects will extend to working with investigators at ORNL to test novel radiopharmaceutical therapies to treat ovarian cancer, and to work with investigators at UT and ORNL to learn more about how different types of radionuclides kill cancer cells.
“The combination of the environment at UT with ORNL is such a fertile training ground for workforce development, which we desperately need,” Anderson said. “I think that’s a huge component of this position. The nuclear engineering department does such a great job at training people.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])