Molecular Oncology Department, BC Cancer Research Centre

Position Title: Postdoctoral Researcher – Radiochemistry

Basic Function: The researcher is responsible for performing research that spans many disciplines in the field of radiochemistry and nuclear medicine. The scope of this project begins with the design and construction of suitable targets for the cyclotron production of Tc-99m and Tc-94m. The individual will then need to demonstrate the practicality of this technology from bench to bedside by extracting the isotope from the target system and isolating Tc-99m/94m as Na[TcO₄] from the bulk target material. In addition, the chemical, radiochemical and radionuclidic purity of both Tc-99m/94m pertechnetate will be established. Finally, the suitability of radiopharmaceutical precursor will be tested using commercial radiopharmaceutical kits and benchmarked using standard quality control measures.

Organizational Relationships: A number of institutions are involved with the research pertaining to this project. While the majority of the work will be performed in Vancouver between TRIUMF and the BC Cancer Agency, key interactions with scientists at the University of Alberta, Cross Cancer Institute in Edomonton, Alberta, The Lawson Health Science Centre in London, Ontario and the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec will be a part of this position. The incumbent will report to senior scientific staff at both TRIUMF and the BC Cancer Agency and will interact with research teams at both institutions.

Principle Responsibilities:

• coordinate research activities between the Advanced Technology Group (ATG), Nuclear Medicine group at TRIUMF and the research group at the BC Cancer Agency.
• perform the appropriate research activities to achieve the project mandate at both institutions.
• prepare data for dissemination to external members of research team as well as the general scientific community.

Supervision Received: The individual will work under the general direction of the senior scientific staff at TRIUMF and the BCCA and is expected to exercise their own scientific judgment in performing the research at hand.

Supervision Exercised: None

Knowledge and Skills: The right individual will have experience in the use of radioactive material and have a demonstrated history of safe and productive radiochemical manipulation. The incumbent will also possess strong oral and written communication skills and will be able to interact in a positive manner with individuals from a diverse group of people.

Qualifications: The postdoctoral researcher will have a PhD in Chemistry or related science with a preference for those individuals with a subdiscipline in the radiochemical sciences. Expertise in inorganic and electrochemistry would be an asset.

Criticality of Position: The incumbent is expected to be capable of performing novel radiochemical manipulation in a safe and efficient manner. This research represents an exciting opportunity for TRIUMF to demonstrate an alternative technology to help address the worldwide medical isotope shortage. Delays in the project could prevent/reduce TRIUMF’s visibility in addressing this critical unmet need in the medical community.

Please send a CV and cover letter to jcromarty [at] bccrc [dot] ca

The world is facing a shortage of the key medical isotope Technetium-99m (Tc-99m). More  than 80% of the estimated 1.5 million nuclear medicine procedures performed annually in Canada use radiopharmaceuticals based on this isotope, which is currently produced using nuclear reactors.

Together with TRIUMF and other partners, the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) has received a $1.3-million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to develop an alternative source of medical isotopes. The grant is part of a $5.4-million research program called Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging. The project will be led by co-principal investigators Dr. François Bénard, Scientific Director of the Centre of Excellence for Functional Cancer Imaging at the BC Cancer Agency, and Dr. Thomas J. Ruth, Senior Research Scientist at TRIUMF and Senior Scientist at the BC Cancer Agency.  Dr. Bénard holds the BC Leadership Chair in Functional Cancer Imaging and is a professor of radiology at the University of British Columbia, as well as a principal investigator in the BCCA’s Molecular Oncology Department.

BCCA, TRIUMF, and collaborators in Edmonton, Sherbrooke, and London, Ontario will collaborate on the two-year research project. The aim is to develop methods to produce technetium using cyclotrons instead of nuclear reactors. Conventional medical cyclotron machines are already being used to produce radioisotopes for many diagnostic procedures, and a cyclotron is currently under construction at the BC Cancer Agency, an initiative made possible through funding provided by the British Columbia Ministry of Health Services and the BC Cancer Foundation. The research team expects to initiate clinical studies to validate new production methods within two years.

“Finding alternatives to reactor produced medical isotopes is vital to staying ahead of the supply curve and meeting the health needs of patients,” said Dr. Bénard. “Producing technetium radioisotopes from cyclotrons could be a safe, reliable and cost-effective alternative to using material produced in nuclear reactors.”

Dr. Nigel Lockyer, TRIUMF Director, added, “we’re thrilled to be working with the leading cancer agency in Canada and some of the best minds in Canada on this research program. We each bring something unique to the table.  Together, we will find solutions to this problem that will work for Canadians and even the world. ”

One postdoctoral position is immediately available at the Centre of Excellence for Functional Cancer Imaging, British Columbia Cancer Agency for the development of novel cancer imaging probes. The postdoc candidate will conduct research in imaging probe design, synthetic chemistry, PET/SPECT isotope production, and radiolabeling. The successful candidates will gain experience in production of radioisotopes and radiolabeling methods for small molecules, peptides and proteins with these for applications in cancer imaging and other areas.

Qualified candidates should have a Ph.D. in organic or medicinal chemistry with experience in multi-step synthesis. Experience with HPLC, micro-scale reactions, and radiochemistry is strongly desired but not required. The ability to perform research and development in a collaborative environment is required including excellent oral and written communication skills.  The initial appointment is for a period of two years with the possibility of renewal.

Interested candidates should send (or e-mail) a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and names of three references to: Dr. Kuo-Shyan Lin, Senior Scientist, BC Cancer Research Center, 675 West 10th Avenue, Rm 4-123,Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; Email: klin@bccrc.ca. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

BCCA hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. We encourage all qualified persons to apply. In accordance with Canadian immigration policy, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

We are looking for exceptional trainees to join our team as postdoctoral fellows in 2010.

Our current projects include cutting-edge genomic analysis of breast and ovarian cancers, using high-throughput platforms such as next-generation sequencing, high content genetic screens, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation.

Our multidisciplinary team includes molecular and cell biologists, pathologists, bioinformaticians, and statisticians. Our lab is located in a purpose-built (2005) facility close to downtown Vancouver.

If you are interested in joining us, please send a CV and detailed cover letter to cennis [at] bccrc [dot] ca.

We have released a C implementation of the software used in Shah et al (2009) Nature: “Mutational evolution in a lobular breast tumour profiled at single nucleotide resolution.”   Please click here for more information.

Dr. Sam Aparicio of the Molecular Oncology Department, in partnership with Dr. Marco Marra of the Genome Sciences Centre, has published the first complete genome sequence of a breast cancer. The article is featured on the front cover of this weeks issue of Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious science journals.

The study describes the use of next-generation DNA sequencing technology to identify all of the 32 gene mutations present in a metastatic breast cancer. The team then searched for the same mutations in the original breast tumour from nine years earlier; only five were present at high enough levels for them to have been present in every cell of the original tumour. Six other mutations were present in small subsets of the original tumour cells, confirming for the first time that there is considerable genetic heterogeneity even at the earliest stages of breast cancer. This finding highlights the need to target all breast tumour cells at an early stage of treatment, rather than treating the tumour as a single uniform mass.

Further details can be found in today’s press release from the BC Cancer Foundation. To date, the story has also been covered by the CBC, CTV, Global, Canada.com, Vancouver Sun, The Province, and MIT’s Technology Review.

Dr. Sam Aparicio will be taking part in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s “Ask an Expert” live chat on Thursday. Tune in to the Vancouver Sun website at noon PST on Thursday October 8th, and ask Sam your questions about breast cancer research!

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