Tracing biological pathways
A new chemical process developed by a team of Harvard researchers may increase the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) in creating real-time 3-D images of chemical activity occurring inside the human body. This new work by Tobias Ritter, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology, and colleagues holds out the tantalizing possibility of using PET scans to peer into a number of functions inside animals and humans by simplifying the process of using “tracer” molecules to create the 3-D images. For example, imagine a pharmaceutical company developing new treatments by studying the way “microdoses” of drugs distribute in the bodies of living humans. Imagine researchers using non-invasive tests to study the bio-distribution of drugs aimed at combatting disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and identifying physiological differences in the brains of patients suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It may sound like science fiction, but it’s a future that may be closer than most...