AG Lückerath

Katharina Lückerath: Experimental Oncology

Characterization of biomarkers

Our group is interested in identifying and characterizing of specific biomarkers, which can be used for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of different types of cancer. On the basis of translational studies, promising biomarkers are used in preclinical tumor models and in humans to evaluate their value with regard to a sensitive detection of cancer cells, the control of treatment response at an early stage, as well as to examine the representation of tumor heterogeneity and its prognostic potential. The aim of the project is to select the best therapy regimen –based on non-invasive molecular imaging–, in order to improve or prolong the patient's quality of life and their survival time.

Theranostic concept

Our second aim is the establishment of theranostic concepts (therapy and diagnostic). Thereby a specific ligand is coupled to a radionuclide, which is suitable for diagnostic purposes (short half-life, high range, low energy). By addressing those specific targets structures during this diagnostic non-invasive PET imaging, it is possible on the one hand to prove the target expression within the tumor, and on the other hand to estimate whether a patient is also suited for a so-called peptide receptor radiotherapy (PRRT). After patient selection is made, the same ligand is coupled to a therapeutic radionuclide (long half-life, short range but high energy), so that a high dose of radiation is specifically brought and bind to the tumor tissue (PRRT). Due nuclear radiation of the nuclide, the tumor cells are systematically killed.

Selected Publications

Stolzenburg, A., Lückerath, K., Samnick, S., Speer, M., Kneer, K., Schmid, J.-S., Grigoleit, G.U., Hofmann, S., Beer, A.J., and Bunjes, D. (2018). Prognostic value of [18 F] FDG-PET/CT in multiple myeloma patients before and after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Eur J Nucl Med Mol I, 1-11.

Lückerath, K., Stuparu, A.D., Wei, L., Kim, W., Radu, C.G., Mona, C.E., Calais, J., Rettig, M., Reiter, R.E., and Czernin, J. (2018). Detection threshold and reproducibility of 68Ga-PSMA11 PET/CT in a mouse model of prostate cancer. J Nucl Med, jnumed. 118.207704.

Buck, A.K., Stolzenburg, A., Hänscheid, H., Schirbel, A., Lückerath, K., Schottelius, M., Wester, H.-J., and Lapa, C. (2017). Chemokine Receptor-directed Imaging and Therapy. Methods.

Fecher, D., Hofmann, E., Buck, A., Bundschuh, R., Nietzer, S., Dandekar, G., Walles, T., Walles, H., Lückerath, K., and Steinke, M. (2016). Human Organotypic Lung Tumor Models: Suitable For Preclinical 18F-FDG PET-Imaging. Plos One 11, e0160282.

Philipp-Abbrederis, K., Herrmann, K., Knop, S., Schottelius, M., Eiber, M., Luckerath, K., Pietschmann, E., Habringer, S., Gerngross, C., Franke, K., et al. (2015). In vivo molecular imaging of chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. Embo Mol Med 7, 477-487.