Fluorinase C-18F bond catalysis

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The isotope fluorine-18 is used widely as a radionucleotide for positron emission tomography (PET). The isotope is generated from [18O]-water on a cyclotron, usually in hospital environments. The fluoride is then dried by ion-exchange chromatography and generally used in nucleophilic chemistry. Unusually the project will use an enzyme that works in water directly to generate the 18F-C bond. The advantage of this is that there is no ion-exchange or drying of the fluoride ion required, and that substrates can be water soluble peptides. The project will explore the radiolabelling of cancer relevant peptides for clinical imaging, using the fluorinase enzyme at the C-F bond forming catalyst.The method has been developed to achieve 'last step' labelling in aqueous buffer and is entirely compatible to maintaining the integrity of peptides during labelling chemistry. The aim of the project now is to explore the scope and extend the versatility of this fluorinase catalyzed transhalogenation to [18F]-peptides, and extend to higher mol. weight and higher structural complexity biopolymers. The student will receive an extensive training in the techniques for modern chemical biology (organic synthesis, protein expression and purification, bioconjugation strategies and biotransformations).The student weill become aware of synthesis and biochemistry web lab safety protocolsThe student should also gain a basic training in radiochemistry for positron emission tomography.