In this episode, Dr Ashleigh Hull and Dr Stephen Tronchin join host Liz Williams to explore theranostics — a cutting-edge approach to cancer treatment that uses radiopharmaceuticals to both detect and treat cancers from within the body. They cover the science behind how these treatments are designed to target cancer cells, which cancers theranostics is already being used for, and the real-world supply chain challenges that determine how many patients can access these therapies. The episode closes with a look at what's on the horizon for the field in Australia and globally.

Dr Ashleigh Hull is a nuclear medicine technologist and lecturer in medical physics, and Dr Stephen Tronchin is a post-doctoral research fellow. Both work at Adelaide University and are part of Radinnovate, an Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Center focused on developing the next generation of nuclear and radiation science researchers for Australia.

Credits

Guests: Ashleigh Hull, Stephen Tronchin

Host: Elizabeth Williams

Audio Producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio)

Show notes

Stephen wanted to clarify that beta particles have a range of 1-10 mm in tissue.

Places to study to become a nuclear medicine technologist in Australia

Mines to Medicines

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Eva Bezak for introducing me to Ash and Stephen. ANU is one of the university partners involved in Radinnovate.

The usual end matter

Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society and the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people.

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The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.