Postdoctoral position in organic synthesis / fluorine-18 radiochemistry (12 months)

CONTEXT
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging is a major diagnostic tool in medicine for the detection and the monitoring of a wide range of diseases. This imaging technique relies on the injection of a molecule labeled with a positron emitter, a short-lived radioisotope such as fluorine-18 (T1/2 = 109 min). The radioactivity can then be precisely and quantitatively detected by a PET camera to visualize the distribution of the labeled compound.
We aim to use PET imaging for the in vivo detection of metal ions, and more particularly Zn2+, using a dedicated labeled peptide. Indeed, metal ions are involved in many fundamental biological processes and an altered regulation of the concentration of metal ions can be associated with acute and long-term diseases. Zinc is of particular interest as it is an essential micronutrient and imbalance of zinc concentration has been associated with diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancers and epilepsy.
PROJECT
This ANR-funded project aims to design novel bioinspired MRI contrast agents (CAs) based on zinc-finger peptides for the detection of Zn2+ in vivo in the extracellular media. These CAs will be designed by collaborators in Grenoble and Orléans and PET imaging will be used to quantify their biodistribution and help establish a proof-of-concept with a dedicated diabetes model.
In this context, the postdoctoral candidate will work on fluorine-18 labeling of zinc-finger peptides developed by our collaborators. To reach this goal, the preparation of [18F]-fluoride/aluminum complexes or the formation of [18F]-fluoride/boron bonds and their use for the radiolabeling of model compounds will be implemented on a radiosynthesis automate. The most successful conditions will then be applied to relevant compounds for PET imaging and biodistribution studies.

Starting date: The position is to be filled from January 2025

PhD in organic chemistry or radiochemistry

Experience in radiochemistry is not required, but the candidates should have a keen interest to discover new techniques within the field of radiochemistry for PET imaging.

Depending on curriculum

Laboratory: BioMaps (https://www.biomaps.universite-paris-saclay.fr), CEA/Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot (SHFJ), 4 place du Général Leclerc 91400 Orsay
The research will be carried out at SHFJ in the « Development of Radiopharmaceuticals and Imaging Agents » group (leader: B. Kuhnast) of BioMaps research unit (Head: Pr. V. Lebon). The SHFJ is a preclinical and clinical multimodal molecular imaging platform dedicated to radioisotope, MRI and ultrasound imaging. It is equipped with organic chemistry laboratories, 2 cyclotrons for the production of fluorine-18 and carbon-11 and radiochemistry laboratories as well as preclinical and clinical imagers.