Imaging probes for targets implicated in cardiovascular disease, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and oncology are needed to better understand these conditions and develop effective diagnostics and treatments. Our lab uses medicinal chemistry and preclinical imaging to develop radiotracers that will be useful for researchers and practitioners in Ottawa and beyond.

Currently, it is difficult to detect and accurately predict plaque instability and rupture in atherosclerosis and it is therefore challenging to identify patients in need of treatment before a serious cardiovascular event. One of our goals is to develop a molecular-targeted imaging probe that will be useful for specifically identifying vulnerable plaque burden at high risk for rupture. This probe will allow us to quantitatively measure the density of enzymes that degrade the fibrous cap of atherosclerotic plaques and contribute to their destabilization and increase the likelihood of rupture and thrombus formation. In addition to diagnosis, the probe to be developed could be used to assist in development of therapies targeting these enzymes and to monitor patient response to treatment.