81

Missions The major missions of the Medical Imaging Department are

To provide high quality diagnostic and therapeutic services using radioactive elements.

To carry out translational and early clinical research, with a particular focus on new targeted treatments.

To deliver high quality pre- and postgraduate teaching in nuclear oncology.

To integrate imaging into the multidisciplinary oriented approach to patient care.

DePartMental organisation

The medical team comprises 4 nuclear medi- cine physicians, 1 radiopharmacist, 2 radio- physicists, 7 imaging technologists and/or nurses, 1 data-nurse and 2 administrative assistants.

FielD, technologies anD MethoDs

The Laboratory has two cell culture units with a bank containing hundreds of primary cells and established cell lines, coupled with a programme for culturing, freezing, control and traceability. The methods and techniques developed cover all the usual areas of molecular and cell biology. The Laboratory staff is skilled in the techniques used in large-scale protein screening (2-D difference gel electrophoresis); studying the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of drugs (high performance liquid chromatography); and assessing the growth of human tumours implanted into mice. The Laboratory is therefore involved in the screening of candidate drugs, the study of their mechanisms of action and their preclinical assessment.

Prof Ghanem-Elias Ghanem Head of Laboratory

Dr Fabrice Journé Researcher

Murielle Wiedig Researcher

Miss ons The Laboratory focuses mainly on melanoma and the biology of melanocytes.

Studying prognostic factors Conducting research on tumour markers, including markers

of agressiveness or progression Perfecting new targeted antitumour therapies

DePartMental organisation

The team consists of 13 people: 1 physician, 4 researchers (3 PhDs, 1 MSc), 2 PhD stu- dents, 4 technicians, 1 data manager a 1 secretary. The team has eveloped spe- cial expertise in cell culturing, the biology of melanogenesis (pigmentation), oxidative stress, radiobiology and animal experimen- tation.

the incidence of melanoma has doubled every 10 to 15 years and current therapies are still disappointing in metastatic disease. However, much recent research holds the promise to substantially reverse this situation. PrOF GHAneM-eLiAS GHAneM, Head of the Oncology & experimental Surgery Laboratory

ONCOLOGY & EXPERIMENTAL SURGERY LABORATORY

the Future Two lines of translational research in particular are under development:

Using melanoma gene profiling data to identify prognostic factors and tumour progression

Screening new targeted molecules and elucidating their mechanisms of action and/or resistance

Main areas Melanoma research (genomics and proteomics) Large-scale cell cultures Drug screening and mechanisms of action New tumour markers