R&D on More Efficient Visualization, Characterization, and Treatment of Tumors

Such drugs accumulate in specific tissue structures. Their radiation can be detected from the outside using a PET camera. This makes it possible to determine the location and behavior of tumors or to investigate the effectiveness of therapies. In the future, radioactive drugs could also be used in therapy to irradiate tumor tissue directly inside the body (endoradionuclide therapy). Scientists are also researching ways to fight cancer more efficiently with the help of the body's own immune system.

In the field of radiation oncology, the HZDR is working on the further development of modern radiation therapies. The focus here is on proton therapy. Basic physical research plays an important role for cancer therapy in Dresden: laser accelerator technology is being developed, for example, which could enable more compact and less expensive systems for radiation therapy with protons. In order to achieve high-precision real-time control in proton therapy, HZDR scientists are working together with OncoRay colleagues on novel detector technologies. By integrating biological findings, they are also constantly developing individualized radiation therapy.

HZDR researchers are also active in the field of imaging or analyzing fundamental metabolic processes on biomembranes. In this way, they decipher how drugs or harmful substances enter cells and form bonds.

The "Neuroradiopharmaceuticals" department at the HZDR research center in Leipzig designs and develops radioactive molecular probes to help detect brain diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia, depression or brain tumors as early as possible. In order to better understand the causes of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases and to be able to treat them in a targeted manner, the researchers use the so-called radiotracers in animal models and bring them to application in cooperation with doctors at Leipzig University Hospital.

The HZDR develops and operates large infrastructures that are also used by external measurement guests: Ion Beam Center, Dresden High Field Magnetic Laboratory and ELBE Center for High Power Radiation Sources. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, has six sites (Dresden, Freiberg, Görlitz, Grenoble, Leipzig, Schenefeld near Hamburg) and employs almost 1,500 people - around 680 of whom are scientists, including 200 doctoral students.