As part of the ‘ISOBIOTICS: Isotopic Labelling of Biotherapeutics’ project, 10 doctoral students visited the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear (CTN) of the Instituto Superior Técnico, in Loures, on 14th January, with the aim of providing a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships and highlight advances in the isotopic labelling of biological drugs.
This interdisciplinary and intersectoral project, funded by the European Union (2023-2027), aims to train doctoral students to develop innovative methods for isotopic labelling of biological drugs, with a consortium led by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the participation of 16 partners, including companies such as AstraZeneca, in 6 European countries and the United Kingdom.
During the event, participants were able to learn about the main lines of research that guide work in the Life and Health Sciences area, and in particular in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences and Health Physics. The initiative, organised by the Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), took place in the CTN Library Auditorium and highlighted the commitment to promoting scientific and technological collaborations of excellence.
The opening session was led by Bruno Oliveira, a C2TN researcher, who began the meeting by emphasising the importance of interdisciplinary and international collaboration for the success of the ‘ISOBIOTICS’ project. This project aims to contribute to the advancement of personalised medicine, enabling more effective treatments with fewer side effects.
In his speech, Bruno Oliveira highlighted ‘the crucial role of the C2TN as a leader in research in the field of ionising radiation and nuclear technologies, as well as its infrastructures of excellence that enable the development of radiopharmaceuticals based on biomolecules’. He also emphasised the importance of integrating advanced technologies in the development of biological radioligands, which have the potential to revolutionise both diagnostic and treatment processes.
This was followed by a speech by Marta Almeida, Researcher and Vice-President of Técnico for the Management of the Loures Campus, who welcomed all the participants and introduced the various aspects of research, teaching and services developed at the Campus. The presentation focused on the importance of ionising radiation and nuclear technologies in tackling global challenges in the areas of health, sustainable energy, climate change and environmental protection. Marta Almeida also highlighted the CTN’s impact on training young scientists and highly qualified professionals through its master’s and doctoral programmes.
Filipa Mendes, Researcher and Coordinator of the Radiopharmaceutical Sciences and Radiological Protection Thematic Line, gave a detailed overview of the work carried out by the C2TN in the areas of radiopharmaceutical sciences and radiological protection. She highlighted the significant advances and future prospects in molecular imaging and targeted radiotherapy as well as theranostics (an approach that combines diagnosis and treatment), with an emphasis on the development of new radiopharmaceuticals used in oncological treatments. Filipa Mendes also discussed the ongoing work in the field of radiological protection, addressing strategies to minimise the side effects of radiation exposure, both for patients and health professionals. She also explained how the C2TN uses advanced models, both experimentally with tumour spheroids and computationally with molecular modelling to simulate the behaviour of radiopharmaceuticals in the human body. The purpose of the C2TN’s research activities is to reduce the impact of age-related diseases and other pathologies, with a view to ensuring a healthy life and promoting well-being for all, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
With the topic ‘Radiation technologies to extract bioactive compounds from food and waste from the agrifood industry’, Sandra Cabo Verde, also a C2TN researcher, explained the innovative application of ionising radiation as a pre-treatment for extracting bioactive compounds from food waste. She demonstrated how ionising radiation treatment not only increases the shelf life and microbiological safety of food, while preserving its nutritional and bioactive properties, but can also be used to recover food waste. Sandra Cabo Verde detailed how ionising radiation can be used to produce bioactive compounds from food waste, promoting the circular economy and generating value from materials that would otherwise be discarded. She also shared national and international collaborations with companies in the food sector, which have shown interest in the ionising radiation technologies developed by the C2TN to improve public health and environmental sustainability.
After a short coffee break, Ana Belchior, C2TN researcher, began her presentation, in which she detailed the biological effects of radiation and the importance of personalised dosimetry in nuclear medicine. She explained how radiation can have both direct and indirect effects on cells, highlighting the need to monitor and personalise dosage in order to maximise therapeutic benefits and minimise risks for patients. Ana Belchior highlighted the use of advanced technologies, such as Monte Carlo simulation – a mathematical modelling technique used to predict complex and probabilistic behaviour, such as the propagation of radiation within the body – to improve the accuracy of treatments, allowing a detailed analysis of the dose distribution and the biological effects of radiation on the body. Based on statistical calculations, this simulation makes it possible to optimise treatments, ensuring that the radiation is applied effectively, with the least possible risk to healthy tissues. The researcher also discussed the evolution of medical dosimetry, which is enabling more effective treatments in areas such as radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, with a strong focus on patient safety.
The last talk of the day was given by João Galamba, researcher, head of the Radiopharmaceutical Sciences group and President of C2TN, who discussed the application of radioactive peptides and proteins in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, with a special focus on cancer. He explained how radioactive peptides are being used to deliver radiation more precisely to tumours, minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The talk also included a discussion of the therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities offered by this technology, such as the use of radiopharmaceuticals to detect and treat tumours in the early stages, which can significantly increase survival rates. It was also detailed how the integration of new radioisotopes in the development of radiotherapies allows for more specific treatments, promoting personalised medicine.
Bruno Oliveira closed the meeting by thanking everyone for attending and stressing that the C2TN has established itself as a centre of excellence, playing a crucial role in training new generations of scientists and professionals, while promoting global collaboration to tackle key challenges in the areas of health, energy and sustainability. ‘With a promising future, the research unit continues to expand its scientific frontiers, driving innovation in the treatment of diseases and the preservation of the environment,’ he concluded.