Since I always had a great interest in radioactivity, right after obtaining my bachelor’s degree in chemistry, I took the opportunity and began to work in the field of radiopharmaceutical manufacturing for PET/CT diagnostics. In principle, they are radioactive drugs that aid to diagnose cancer in early stages and as small as tip of a match. The radiopharmaceuticals or tracers consist of two parts – suitable radionuclide and biochemically active molecule with high affinity for specific tissue. And as the saying goes, one shoe does not fit every foot. Therefore, vast amount of different disease requires for vast number of appropriate tracers. Now, with this in mind we can really enjoy the process of discover, investigate, characterize, study and translate various combinations of these two elements to achieve more successful results.

Consequently, it led to my master’s thesis to be developed in the same topic of radiopharmaceuticals. Once we experienced the possibility to use therapeutic radionuclides - emitting electrons instead of positrons – to also treat patients, it did not take long to continue with my PhD studies. Now I investigate methods how to produce and purify novel same chemical element radioisotopes for radiopharmaceutical synthesis towards diagnostics and treatment of cancer. The ultimate theragnostic goal – treat what you see.

By starting my PhD in University of Latvia, I also gravitated more towards scientific research as young researcher at Institute of Chemical Physics, University of Latvia. Fortunately, I was offered the possibility to extend my toolbox for my research with CERN-MEDICIS. MEDICIS is a facility within CERN that can produce and purify novel and exotic medical radionuclides for research with 1.4 GeV protons, delivered by PSB at CERN or external collaborators coupled with mass-separator - a device that can physically separate same chemical element isotopes with respect to their atomic mass. It is worth mentioning that chemically it is impossible to achieve such purity level if one does not use expensive and highly enriched target materials in the first place. Therefore, it is obvious that mass-separation becomes a key part in the success of such “perfect match” theragnostic radiopharmaceutical development. Now with PRISMAP such “tools” become available for more and more research centres across Europe and they will definitely aid radionuclide and radiopharmaceutical translational research.

Ever since I have worked and did research in this field, people have asked me, if there really are no drugs that cure cancer? I would always reply that now there are, but huge effort and improvement still is needed. Therefore, I believe that with such projects as PRISMAP more and more breakthroughs are soon to be expected.

After obtaining his master’s degree in chemistry at the University of Latvia, Edgars continued to pursue his career as radiochemist by producing radiopharmaceuticals for PET/CT diagnostics and radionuclide therapy. Recently he started as a PhD student in chemistry/radiochemistry at the University of Latvia and CERN-MEDICIS. His research focusses on novel “matched pair” theragnostic radionuclide production, purification and radiopharmaceutical synthesis.

Edgar Mamis

After obtaining his master’s degree in chemistry at the University of Latvia, Edgars continued to pursue his career as radiochemist by producing radiopharmaceuticals for PET/CT diagnostics and radionuclide therapy. Recently he started as a PhD student in chemistry/radiochemistry at the University of Latvia and CERN-MEDICIS. His research focusses on novel “matched pair” theragnostic radionuclide production, purification and radiopharmaceutical synthesis.