Dr Franz Buchegger, Privat Docent, Head of Laboratory

Research activities :

• Radiolabeled antibodies or peptides/nucleotides for diagnostic and therapeutic tumor targeting

Research key words :

• Radioimmunotherapy, Auger radiation therapy, PET molecular imaging

Cancer imaging and therapy with radiolabeled antibodies, peptides and nucleotides (support of Swiss National Science Foundation) is the goal of our laboratory. In vitro, in vivo and patient studies are developed based on commercial and newly developed antibodies and peptide or nucleotide analogs. The translational research profits from radioconjugations that allow optimal in vivo evaluation of tumor targeting properties at very low concentrations of reagents. In vivo and patient studies are performed with PET/CT and conventional scintigraphy imaging. The collaboration with the Cyclotron Unit at HUG allows the development of original new PET imaging agents.

Major collaborations:

1. Prof. O. Ratib and Dr Yann Seimbille, Service of Nuclear Medicine and Cyclotron Unit, University Hospital of Geneva.

2. Prof. R. Gurny, School of Pharmacy, University of Geneva.

3. Prof. P. A. Schubiger, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, and Swiss Technology Institute, Zurich.

Representative publications :

• Buchegger F, Antonescu C, Bischof Delaloy A, Helg C, Kovacsovics T, Kosinski M, Mach J-P and Ketterer N. Long term complete responses after 131I-tositumomab therapy for relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Br J Cancer 2006, 94:1770-76.

• Perillo-Adamer F, Bischof Delaloye A, Genton CS, Schaffland AO, Dupertuis YM and Buchegger F. Short fluorodeoxyuridine exposure of different human glioblastoma lines induces high level accumulation of S-phase cells that avidly incorporate 125I-iododeoxyuridine. Eur J Nuc Med Mol Imaging, 2006,33:613-620.

• Buchegger F, Press OW, Bischof Delaloye A and Ketterer N. Radiolabeled and native antibodies and the prospect of cure of follicular lymphoma. The Oncologist 2008; 13:657-667 (review).