Ligand-directed targeting and molecular imaging in cancer and obesity

Dr Amin Hajitou and Professor Nicholas D Mazarakis, Imperial College London, host this lecture with special speakers:

Wadih Arap, M.D., Ph.D. Stringer Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology, Deputy Chairman, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and

Renata Pasqualini, Ph.D. Helen Buchanan & Stanley Seeger Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology.

Abstract: Differential protein expression in vascular endothelium associated with normal or diseased tissues offers the potential for developing novel diagnostic, imaging, and therapeutic strategies. In essence, our research program uses combinatorial library selection (peptide- and antibody-based) to discover, validate, and exploit the vascular biochemical diversity of endothelial cell surfaces towards a new vascular-targeted pharmacology. Such targeting technologies may lead to the development of ligand-directed therapeutics and imaging agents for application in the treatment of cancer, obesity, and other medical conditions that show distinct vascular attributes. Translational applications through clinical trials, which are scheduled to start soon at our own institution and elsewhere, will ultimately determine the value of this strategy.  In this lecture, we will provide project-by-project overviews of our main lines of ongoing and planned research.

Ticket: First come first served