Disposable device to produce cancer PET imaging and therapy tracers
Single-use Microfluidic Device for Radiopharmaceutical Production
We are building a single-use microfluidic system to make PET tracers and radiopharmaceutical therapies more available for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291830 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will build a small disposable device that can make PET imaging and therapy tracers like 18F-FDG quickly and on-site without large factory infrastructure. The team will test the device in the lab to measure production speed, purity, and safety using standard radioisotopes and compare results to current manufacturing methods. The aim is an inexpensive, single-use microfluidic cartridge that hospitals and clinics could run to prepare tracers on demand. If it works, you might get faster access to scans or targeted radiotherapies at more treatment centers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with solid tumors who need PET imaging or targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy would be the eventual beneficiaries and potential candidates for later clinical testing.
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate standard-of-care imaging or therapy should not expect direct clinical benefit now because this is an early device development project tested in labs before human use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could make PET scans and radiopharmaceutical therapies faster and less expensive to deliver to cancer patients.
How similar studies have performed: Early microfluidic approaches to radiotracer synthesis have shown promise in research settings, but widely deployable single-use systems for clinical use remain relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manning, Henry Charles — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Manning, Henry Charles
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.