Vectorisation and radiotherapy
Vectorisation and tumour targeting for the development of innovative treatments in chemotherapy, biotherapy and radiotherapy
Vectorisation increases the availability of an active principle. Targeting concentrates it on its site of action. The active principle can be either chemical, biological, or radioactive. In the latter case, radioactivity makes possible functional imaging and vectored radiotherapy. Radioimmunotherapy approaches have been developed with monoclonal antibodies as vectors. External radiotherapy has recently been associated with the work of the organisation, as there are numerous concepts and means that are common to vectored radiotherapy and functional imaging, sources of therapeutic and scientific synergies. Similarly one section of the teams working on tumour environment also participates in the work of this organisation since this environment can be an obstacle to the access to tumour cells just as it can be a target for new treatments.
This organisation is very multi-disciplinary, from nuclear physics (with cyclotrons including those in Orleans, Tours and Nantes, Arronax) to clinical trials and including biology and chemistry. The research teams are to be found all over the West of France.
The work is based on six research themes: nanomedicine, vectored radiotherapy, external radiotherapy, tumour micro-environment, functional imaging, quantitative imaging and dosimetry.