Radiopharmaceuticals are widely used in nuclear medicine for both diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications in oncology. Due to their relatively short half-life and chemical instability, these agents are typically produced on-site in hospital-based radiopharmacies. While this infrastructure is essential for routine clinical care, it also provides a unique platform for academic drug innovation.

In this presentation, I will highlight several examples of how radiopharmaceuticals can be used to advance personalized oncology treatment.

One key example is the use of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted therapies in patients with prostate cancer—one of the most impactful recent developments in this field. Despite the clinical success, a substantial proportion of patients experience limited responses. Our research aims to improve treatment outcomes by exploring next-generation radioligands, including Terbium-161 and Actinium-225–labelled PSMA compounds. I will discuss the key challenges and opportunities associated with these emerging strategies.