The development of innovative tools in medical imaging represents a major lever for the early and accurate diagnosis of cancer. The combination of PET imaging and antibodies as targeting vectors stands among the most specific approaches for tumor detection. This potential is reflected by the widespread use of these tools in preclinical research, but their translation into routine clinical practice remains challenging, mainly due to the non-negligible dosimetry of the positron-emitting isotopes currently used (8?Zr, 64Cu).
This PhD project aims to develop an antibody-labeling technology using fluorine-18, the reference isotope for clinical PET imaging. Labeling antibodies whose biodistribution time is compatible with this isotope represents a significant technical challenge and requires a non-negligible reaction time compared to the short half-life of fluorine-18. The objective of this project is to simplify and accelerate this process through the development of a chemical tag that would enable the direct labeling of antibodies with fluorine-18 produced by the cyclotron, analogously to the longer-lived radiometals classically used. Several challenges will be addressed in developing this tag, including the optimization of its fluorine-18 radiolabeling and its bioconjugation to antibodies, with the ultimate goal of providing a simple, fast, and clinically translatable tool.