What if modern medicine could select the most effective cancer treatment for each patient more precisely and faster? In 2022, Lars Gerchow received the PSI Founder Fellowship to pursue this visionary idea: the precise determination of targeted treatments for specific cancer types in metastatic cancer.
In complex cases – such as when multiple tumor types are present simultaneously – conventional imaging techniques reach their limits. Lars is therefore working on a new approach: Dual-Tracer Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which uses two different radiotracers simultaneously to visualize various tumor types in a single scan. This provides the foundation for the most effective treatment selection. Compared to the current state-of-the-art, which is not covered by health insurance, this method with two scans on different days offers reduced patient burden, significantly less effort for hospitals, and contributes to a more efficient healthcare system.
With his expertise in particle physics and the support of the PSI Founder Fellowship (PSIFF) – a program designed to foster entrepreneurial, talented scientists and engineers – Lars Gerchow has made significant progress over the past few months. In collaboration with the Radiopharmacy at PSI, ETH's Institute for Particle Physics, Unispital Zürich, Kantonsspital Baden, and the Tierspital Zürich, an important milestone was achieved: the newly developed Dual-Tracer PET method has already been successfully tested with canine patients – a win-win collaboration, as veterinary medicine has limited access to PET diagnostics for their patients. This milestone proves that the method works in clinical applications. The results provide a promising foundation for the planned human application and are a key indication that the technology works not only in the lab but also in clinical environments.
This successful application is also a prime example of what is possible when experts from diverse fields work together. Across group, department, and institutional boundaries, a collaboration has emerged that not only led to a concrete innovation but also demonstrates how much faster and more effectively we can tackle medical challenges when we break down silos. A perfect example of the synergies present in the diverse research at PSI and the potential within Switzerland’s research ecosystem.
The goal now is to further develop this technology for human use. Based on the initial results obtained through the PSIFF program, the collaboration has secured an PHRT and SNF project for its implementation. The potential to fundamentally optimize both diagnosis and treatment for patients with metastatic cancer is enormous. Lars is working intensively on a software solution that precisely analyzes raw data from the latest generation of PET scans. This now includes the fine differences in the involved tracers, a capability that was previously only possible in the facilities of basic research and particle physics. This innovation now allows the simultaneous breakdown and visualization of multiple cancer types in a single scan – a step that opens up new perspectives for personalized cancer therapy.
Lars' work is an excellent example of how innovations from particle physics can revolutionize the field of medicine and how interdisciplinary collaboration across various groups and institutes enables unique progress. We are proud to support Lars through the PSI Founder Fellowship and look forward to the next steps in this promising project.
