Diagnostics
Groundbreaking Alzheimer’s and cancer studies receive $7.2 million boost
February 28, 2025
The quest to advance detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and to personalize cancer care has received a major boost, with $7.2 million in funding to Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Health Care London for first-of-its kind research.
Lawson scientists will partner with a broad team of researchers at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI), McMaster University, University Health Network and BC Cancer on the ground-breaking studies focused on molecular imaging and theranostics as a potential game-changer in detecting and treating neurodegeneration and cancer, particularly prostate, brain and breast cancer.
Principal investigator Ting-Yim Lee, PhD, Lawson’s Director of PET/CT Research, and his team of investigators were awarded $2 million through the Ontario Research Fund & Research Excellence for the study titled Improving Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Through Cutting-edge Molecular Imaging and Theranostics. Co-principal investigator is radiation oncologist Dr. Glenn Bauman at LHSCRI.
Additional funding from private-sector partners and Lawson, as well as from donors through St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, brings the total research investment to $7.2 million.
The research has the potential to offer hope for solutions to some of the most prevalent and pernicious diseases affecting Canadians, Dr. Lee explained.
“Both research projects are the first of their kind in Canada aimed at advancing how we diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s disease and cancer,” he said.
This collaborative funding initiative will also drive innovation in the exciting field of molecular imaging and theranostics at St. Joseph’s, at the heart of which is St. Joseph’s new, high-sensitivity GE HealthCare Omni Legend 2 PET/CT the first in Canada.
The studies encompass the following:
- Alzheimer’s disease: The new PET/CT allows researchers to simultaneously study both blood flow and glucose metabolism in the brain. Both these mechanisms are believed to be contributing factors in the onset of Alzheimer’s.
- By measuring both at the same time, the research team hopes to uncover early signs that the brain is in trouble and at risk of plaque deposits and toxic proteins that have been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s.
- Cancer: The cancer study will focus on developing theranostic techniques to achieve personalized dosimetry & a method used to determine the exact amount of radiation a patient should receive during treatment, based on their individual characteristics. This maximizes effective treatment while minimizing harm to healthy tissues.
Molecular imaging and theranostics is a rapidly emerging field of medicine that combines ultra-precise scans and theranostics (a term that melds the words therapeutics and diagnostics).
Together, they offer a one-two punch by integrating imaging and radiotracers that can identify the location and extent of diseased tissues and selectively destroy the abnormal cells while leaving surrounding healthy cells undamaged.
In collaboration with GE HealthCare, St. Joseph’s is developing Canada’s first GE HealthCare Centre of Excellence in Molecular Imaging and Theranostics.