Experimentelle Nuklearmedizin

The research group Experimental Nuclear Medicine is dedicated to the development, characterization, and preclinical evaluation of innovative radiotracers for the diagnosis and investigation of a wide range of diseases. This includes both oncological and non-oncological conditions in which molecular imaging can provide deeper insights into underlying biological processes.

Beyond tracer evaluation, the group places a strong emphasis on studying organ axes, such as interactions between the gut, liver, and brain, to understand how physiological and pathological signals are exchanged across systems. Hence, a central area of work is the analysis of pharmacokinetics including the investigation of radiotracers distribution, metabolism (e.g. radiometabolite analysis) and excretion. These efforts aim to optimize imaging probes and improve translational potential for future clinical applications.

The research group Experimental Nuclear Medicine has access to a broad range of advanced methods, technologies, and analytical platforms that support the full pipeline from molecular concept to clinical imaging. This comprehensive methodological spectrum enables the radiolabeling and biological evaluation of radiotracers, ultimately facilitating their translation into clinical applications.

A key strength of the group is its highly multidisciplinary team, which brings together expertise from chemistry, biology, pharmacy, nutritional science, bioinformatics, veterinary medicine, medical engineering, and immunology. This diverse knowledge base allows the team to approach scientific questions from multiple perspectives—ranging from in vitro to in vivo characterization, imaging analytics and modeling, and translational research.

Through this collaborative structure, the group is uniquely positioned to develop new biological approaches using innovative imaging probes and to explore complex biological systems with precision and depth.

2025

Vraka C, Homolya M, Özer Ö, Spittler A, Machtinger M, Moll HP, Casanova E, Kuntner C, Grünert S, Hacker M, Philippe C. RadioFlow Cytometry Reveals That [¹⁸F]FDG Uptake in K-RAS Lung Cancer Is Driven by Immune Cells: An Analysis on a Single-Cell Level. J Nucl Med. 2025;66(2):215-222. doi:10.2967/jnumed.124.268799

Spielvogel CP, Schindler N, Schröder C, Stellnberger SL, Wadsak W, Mitterhauser M, Papp L, Hacker M, Pichler V, Vraka C. Enhancing Blood–Brain Barrier Penetration Prediction by Machine Learning-Based Integration of Novel and Existing, In Silico and Experimental Molecular Parameters from a Standardized Database. J Chem Inf Model. 2025;65(6):2773-2784. doi:10.1021/acs.jcim.4c02212

Weissenböck V, Weber L, Schlederer M, Silva Sousa L, Stampfer A, Baydar S, Nakuz T, Calabretta R, Antunes Goncalves AI, Li X, Rösch F, Podesser BK, Kenner L, Hacker M, Kiss A, Philippe C. Molecular Imaging of Fibroblast Activation Protein in Response to Cardiac Injury Using [68Ga]Ga-DATA5m.SA.FAPi. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025;18(5):658. doi:10.3390/ph18050658

Bamminger K, Philippe C, Schindler N, Pichler V, Nics L, Wadsak W, Hahn A, Lanzenberger R, Hacker M, Vraka C. Adaptation of a commercially available module for the production of alpha-[¹¹C]methyl-L-tryptophan ([¹¹C]AMT) for human use. Nuclear Medicine and Biology. 2025;146-147:109020. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2025.109020

Mattes J, Philippe C. Crossing boundaries, forging unity: nuclear medicine and science diplomacy in Cold War Europe. Br J Hist Sci. Published online May 9, 2025:1-25. doi:10.1017/S0007087425000317

2024

Yu J, Spielvogel C, Haberl D, Jiang Z, Özer Ö, Pusitz S, Geist B, Beyerlein M, Tibu I, Yildiz E, Kandathil SA, Buschhorn T, Schnöll J, Kumpf K, Chen YT, Wu T, Zhang Z, Grünert S, Hacker M, Vraka C. Systemic Metabolic and Volumetric Assessment via Whole-Body [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT: Pancreas Size Predicts Cachexia in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers. 2024;16(19):3352. doi:10.3390/cancers16193352

Ustsinau U, Nics L, Hacker M, Philippe C. A Fully Automated Synthesis of 14-(R,S)-[¹⁸F]fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic Acid ([18F]FTHA) on the Elixys Radiosynthesizer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024;17(3):318. doi:10.3390/ph17030318

Ustsinau U, Kulterer OC, Rausch I, Krššák M, Kiefer FW, Hacker M, Philippe C. A PET/MRI study on the effect of obesity and NAFLD on hepatic [¹⁸F]FDG uptake. Eur J Radiol. 2024;177:111552. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2024.111552

2023

Ustsinau U, Ehret V, Fürnsinn C, Scherer T, Helbich TH, Hacker M, Krššák M, Philippe C. Novel approach using [¹⁸F]FTHA-PET and de novo synthesized VLDL for assessment of FFA metabolism in a rat model of diet induced NAFLD. Clin Nutr. 2023;42(10):1839-1848. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2023.08.001

2022

Rischka L, Vraka C, Pichler V, Rasul S, Nics L, Gryglewski G, Handschuh P, Murgaš M, Godbersen GM, Silberbauer LR, Unterholzner J, Wotawa C, Haider A, Ahmed H, Schibli R, Mindt T, Mitterhauser M, Wadsak W, Hahn A, Lanzenberger R, Hacker M, Ametamey SM. First-in-Humans Brain PET Imaging of the GluN2B-Containing N -methyl-d-aspartate Receptor with ( R )- ¹¹C-Me-NB1. J Nucl Med. 2022;63(6):936-941. doi:10.2967/jnumed.121.262427

Bamminger K, Raitanen J, Karanikas G, Rasul S, Nics L, Mitterhauser M, Wadsak W, Hacker M, Pichler V, Vraka C. Rapid, high-yield enzymatic synthesis of n.c.a. 6-[¹⁸F]fluorodopamine (6-[18F]FDA) for in vivo application. Nucl Med Biol. 2022;114-115:189-197. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2022.07.001

Vraka C, Murgaš M, Rischka L, Geist BK, Lanzenberger R, Gryglewski G, Zenz T, Wadsak W, Mitterhauser M, Hacker M, Philippe C, Pichler V. Simultaneous radiomethylation of [¹¹C]harmine and [¹¹C]DASB and kinetic modeling approach for serotonergic brain imaging in the same individual. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):3283. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-06906-0

Klebermass EM, Dengler A, Weissenböck V, Ricken G, Wadsak W, Viernstein H, Hacker M, Mitterhauser M, Philippe C. Autoradiography on deparaffinized tissue sections – A feasibility study with 68Ga-labeled PET-tracers. Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 2022;189:110425. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110425