Seminars

I.Gonzalez: "To make our cooperation closer"

On 29 May, LRB hosted another general laboratory seminar under the leadership of the Laboratory's Scientific Leader, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences E.A.Krasavin. Ignacio Hernandez GONZALEZ (CENTIS Isotope Centre, Cuba; LRB researcher) presented a report on "Basic concepts of radiopharmaceuticals application".

Ignacio began his report with historical milestones related to the physics and chemistry of isotopes, the development of emission tomography and the rapid development of nuclear medicine in the United States and other countries. He explained why nuclear medicine has become an accessible tool and its current trends, such as the transition to molecular "imaging". The speaker went into more detail about radiopharmaceuticals, the characteristics of radiopharmaceuticals and radiolabeling procedures. He also spoke about the relationship between radiopharmacology and pharmacology, the industrial production of radiopharmaceuticals and their sources: reactors, cyclotrons, generators and the advantages of radionuclide generators.

The final part of the report was dedicated to new areas of nuclear medicine, the CENTIS isotope centre and examples of clinical investigations with new radiopharmaceuticals. Ignacio ended his speech with a quote from Jose Marti: "Referring to science in everyday speech is something that very few people do… Science consists of knowing the possibilities and using them correctly…"

Summing up the report, E.A.Krasavin stated: "We started radiobiological research with radionuclides (with astatine and iodine) 30 years ago together with the Institute of Biophysics of the USSR Ministry of Health. The drug "methylene blue - Astatine-211" was produced that has an exceptionally high damaging effect on cancer cells - melanoma. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons we were unable to continue this research. We are looking forward to carrying out the radiobiological research with radionuclides at LRB in the future." After the seminar, Ignacio Hernandez Gonzalez answered questions.

"The Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of the Republic of Cuba at JINR asked me how interested I would be in the opportunity to work at JINR, in a field bordering on my professional interests, taking into account my professional experience. When I was studying the opportunities offered by JINR, I chose LRB because in Cuba I work not only in the field of radiopharmaceuticals, but also in molecular biology. And this is not only the investigation of tumors, but also inflammatory processes and other effects and among other things, I worked with laboratory animals. ("And in this regard, Ignacio's experience will be indispensable for us, since we also have groups working with laboratory animals," LRB employee Polina Kutsalo that helped me with the translation comments).

I came here for a meeting in 2022, where the Institute's future projects were discussed. I was able to talk to LRB Director A.N.Bugay and during the conversation, many points of contact occurred, we discussed further cooperation. I saw an opportunity for myself to gain some new knowledge here that I will be able to apply in the future at home. In principle, what I am engaged in is not so far from what they are engaged in at the laboratory. One of my areas of interest is pharmacometry that concerns mathematical simulation, quantitative measurement and the determination of any patterns in pharmacology."

Over the past six months, have you found any of the investigations implemented at LRB or the capabilities of the experimental facilities at JINR interesting?

- Yes, I have already found areas of interest to me. Moreover, I see how I can join the work that is carried out here with the institutes I cooperate with in Cuba and our other institutes. And in particular, how to unite the events in the scientific sphere in Russia with the research implemented in Cuba, how to make our scientific cooperation closer in general and with JINR, in particular.

Will you give a lecture at the upcoming school for young scientists in Alushta?

- Scientists from different fields will gather at this school and it will be a real challenge for me - to make the report interesting for everyone.

How long are you going to work at LRB?

- My contract ends in January, I am going to extend it, possibly for three years. As long as I am needed here, I am ready to stay for a long time, possibly forever.

Olga TARANTINA,
translation by Polina KUTSALO,
photo by LRB