Kate Renforth

Thesis title: LOCATE (Leveraging Organoids and Computational Analysis for Tracer Evaluation in PET); next generation individualised Total Body PET scanning

Biography

Background

Following a masters in Physics at the University of Warwick, I worked for 5 years as a senior imaging scientist at a medical-physics start up developing new x-ray technology for human orthopaedic, veterinary, and non-destructive testing applications. I was able to carry out a wide range of research in this field, developing on existing tomosynthesis techniques and improving image quality across a range of prototype products, as well as conducting clinical trials and visiting conferences and trade shows.

I subsequently enjoyed one year working as an applications engineer on in-line AFM solutions for the semi-conductor industry before returning to both medical physics and academia to pursue my PhD at Edinburgh, where I will be looking at the use of organoids to aid understanding of radio-metabolite behaviour in PET imaging.

Qualifications

Physics BSc MPhys (Hons) - University of Warwick

Current research interests

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful imaging technique widely used in medical research, diagnostics, and treatment development, especially for conditions like cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. PET works by introducing a radioactive atom, or radiotracer, into the body, which allows researchers and clinicians to track biological processes in real-time. However, one of the major challenges in PET imaging is the issue of radiotracer breakdown, resulting in radiometabolites—radioactive fragments that are not part of the intended biological signal. These radiometabolites circulate in the body and can confound the PET signal, leading to difficulties in interpreting data accurately and deriving biologically relevant information. Aims of the project: (1) Establish organoids as "living phantoms" to investigate radiotracer behaviour; This involves culturing human organoids, exposing them to radiotracers, and imaging them using PET scanners to study how the tracers are metabolized. (2) Develop predictive models for PET tracer breakdown in excretory organs; The goal is to adapt existing compartmental models to describe the metabolic breakdown of PET tracers in human excretory organs, ultimately expanding these models for use in human studies with Total-body PET scanners.

Past research interests

Medical Imaging, x-Ray Tomography, Digital Tomosynthesis (DT), Applied Imaging, Microscopy, Semiconductors

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