Edward K. Fung Laboratory

Research 

Dr. Fung’s research is focused on the areas of dosimetry of radionuclide therapies and molecular imaging for the development of biodistribution models for dosimetric analysis. Pre-targeted radioimmunotherapy isolates the slow antibody kinetics from rapid delivery of the radionuclide, retaining high specificity while offsetting the normal tissue toxicity resulting from slow circulation of antibodies. Dr. Fung has developed models incorporating the many elements of the pre-targeted strategy to predict tumor dose and adjust dosing cycles accordingly to maximize treatment benefit and minimize collateral radiation damage to tissue. These models differ from conventional radiotracer methods in that much higher than tracer concentrations of ligand are used producing saturated conditions. Molecular imaging techniques can be utilized for other treatments besides radionuclide therapy. Dr. Fung has adapted this dosimetry methodology to the monitoring of viral vectors used in gene therapy, constructing models of their distribution after intravenous and intracisternal injection. The incorporation of these models into a treatment planning system will serve to advance the clinical translation of these therapies. 

Lab Focus 

The Fung Laboratory applies radiation physics, imaging physics, and biophysics principles to the development of novel methods of modeling the interaction between diagnostic and therapeutic molecules and a variety of pathologies. Quantitative techniques in positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission tomography, computed x-ray tomography (CT scanning), and radioactive sample counting are utilized by the Fung Lab in both animal models and human patients to explore the dynamic distribution of radiotracers. With this information, the lab constructs pharmacokinetic compartment models to investigate diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and predictive dosimetry models to enable personalized treatment planning for radionuclide therapy in cancer.