Research Spotlights

Lung cancer in Australia

Lung cancer is one of Australia’s biggest killers. It is the fourth-most commonly diagnosed cancer and has the highest mortality rate of any cancer. Early detection is crucial, but current diagnostic methods face significant limitations.

Current imaging techniques

The first step in lung cancer diagnostics is a chest X-ray, a two-dimensional image that allows doctors to look for obvious abnormalities. If something suspicious is seen, a chest Computed Tomography (CT) scan is usually the next step. CT scans produce three-dimensional images, providing more detail about potential tumours. However, medical CT scans can only reliably detect tumours larger than 1 cm. Tumours of this size are often difficult to diagnose due to insufficient contrast or resolution in current imaging technologies.

When imaging is inconclusive, a biopsy is performed. This invasive procedure involves removing a small piece of tissue for testing, which can be painful and requires recovery time for the patient. Reducing the need for biopsies would improve patient comfort and outcomes.

Introducing phase-contrast X-ray imaging

Phase-Contrast (PC) X-ray imaging offers a promising solution. Unlike conventional X-rays, which measure absorption, PC imaging measures the refraction or phase shift of X-rays as they pass through tissue, providing enhanced contrast (Ahlers et al., 2025). This allows lung tissue — often difficult to visualise clearly using conventional medical X-rays and CT scans — to be seen with significantly greater clarity and structural detail (D’Amico et al., 2025). By improving image quality, PC imaging could enable earlier and more accurate tumour detection.

Research at the Australian Synchrotron

At the Australian Synchrotron, researchers are using the Imaging and Medical Beamline (IMBL) to perform high-resolution, low-dose Region-of-Interest (ROI) scans of suspicious lesions (Costello et al., 2025). These scans are non-invasive and allow for detailed imaging of small areas of pathology. This approach not only reduces radiation exposure but also has the potential to transform current CT imaging practices.

Lucy Costello, AINSE PGRA, is conducting research at the IMBL, performing high-resolution, low-dose Region-of-Interest (ROI) scans of suspicious lung lesions. As an AINSE Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) scholar, Lucy’s work focuses on non-invasive, high-precision imaging of small pathological regions.

These targeted scans reduce radiation exposure while delivering exceptional image detail. This approach has the potential to significantly improve diagnostic confidence and transform current CT imaging practices.

Towards better patient outcomes

The goal of this research is to improve diagnostics and ultimately patient prognosis. By combining phase-contrast imaging with advanced synchrotron technology, clinicians may one day be able to detect lung cancer earlier, reduce the need for invasive biopsies, and provide more precise, and effective care for patients.

References:

Ahlers, J N, D′Amico, L, Bast, H, Costello, L F, Donnelley, M, Alloo, S J, Harker, S A, How, Y Y, Croughan, M K, Pollock, J A, Häusermann, D, Maksimenko, A, Hall, C, Gureyev, T E, Nesterets, Y I, Kitchen, M J, Pavlov, K M, Morgan, K S, 2025, ‘High-energy X-ray phase-contrast CT of an adult human chest phantom’, Scientific Reports, vol.15, no.1. Available at doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-14956-3

D’Amico, L, Costello, L, Nesterets, Y, Donnelley, M, Gureyev, T, Maksimenko, A, Beck, C, Ahlers, J, Smith, R, How, Y Y, Parsons, D, Hall, C, Hausermann, D, Cameron, M, Klein, M, Kitchen, M, Tromba, G, Dullin, C, Morgan, K, 2025, ‘In situ propagation-based lung computed tomography for large animal models’, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, vol. 32, no. 6, pp.1511–1522. Available at doi: 10.1107/s160057752500832x

Costello, L, Donnelley, M, Nesterets, Y, Ahlers, J, Alloo, S, Hall, C, Hausermann, D, Kitchen, M, D’Amico, L, Morgan, K, 2025, ‘Evaluating the feasibility of region-of-interest X-ray phase contrast imaging for lung cancer diagnostics’, Scientific Reports, vol. 15, no.1. Available at doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-04509-z

Want to get involved?

If you, just like Meaghan, are interested in conducting cutting-edge research in nuclear science with ANSTO, visit https://www.ainse.edu.au/scholarships/ to explore AINSE scholarships.

While you’re waiting for the next Research Spotlight, check out https://www.ainse.edu.au/research-spotlights/ to see the incredible work of past scholars.

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, prognosis remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for more precise and effective treatment strategies. Targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs) offer a promising new approach by delivering highly potent radiation directly to cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy brain tissue.

Harnessing Meitner–Auger electrons

Meitner–Auger electrons (MAEs) are a form of radiation that travel extremely short distances (10–100 nm) and cause significant biological damage precisely where they are deposited. The use of MAEs in the field of TRTs could open new avenues for the treatment of glioblastoma while sparing precious healthy brain tissue. For these strategies to be effective, however, MAE-emitting isotopes must be delivered specifically to the nucleus of cancerous cells, where they can inflict maximal DNA damage.

Targeting DNA repair pathways

PARP-1 is an enzyme responsible for DNA repair and is overexpressed in many cancers, including glioblastoma. Commercially available and FDA-approved PARP-1 inhibitors, such as Olaparib, target this enzyme located within the nucleus of cancerous cells. Developing strategies to link MAE emitters to PARP-1 inhibitors may therefore enable precise delivery of these isotopes directly to the cell nucleus. The emerging isotope ¹⁹⁷mHg can emit up to 35 MAEs per decay cycle, making it a promising candidate for this purpose.

Developing a targeted radiopharmaceutical

AINSE PGRA recipient Meaghan Ashton (pictured), supervised by Prof. Hugh Harris at the University of Adelaide, successfully conjugated (chemically linked) mercury chelators she developed to the PARP-1 inhibitor Olaparib. Mercury chelators are specially designed molecules that tightly bind to mercury atoms, holding them securely so they can be safely carried and delivered to a specific target — such as cancer cells.

Under the supervision of ANSTO researchers A/Prof Ben Fraser and Dr Flora Mansour, Meaghan used specialised radiolabelling facilities at ANSTO, Lucas Heights, to securely attach the radioactive surrogate isotope ²⁰³Hg to her compound. This process resulted in a radiochemical yield exceeding 99%, indicating that nearly all of the radioactive material was successfully incorporated.

In collaboration with Dr Veronika Pape, cancer cells were treated with non-radioactive versions of these complexes and imaged using the X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy beamline at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne. These experiments provided clear evidence of cellular uptake and localisation of mercury within the nucleus when bound to the Olaparib targeting vector. This nuclear localisation was not observed when mercury was bound to the chelator alone or administered as a free mercury salt.

These results demonstrate strong potential for the use of ¹⁹⁷mHg conjugated to PARP-1 inhibitors as a highly localised, short-range weapon in the fight against glioblastoma.

Meaghan Ashton’s research is an exciting development in the continued fight against aggressive and often terminal brain cancers. By combining the precision of PARP-1 inhibitors with the potent, short-range effects of Meitner–Auger electrons, ¹⁹⁷mHg conjugates offer a highly targeted approach that maximises damage to cancer cells while minimising harm to healthy tissue. These findings lay the groundwork for further development of nuclear-targeted radiopharmaceuticals and represent an exciting step toward more effective therapies for glioblastoma.

Want to get involved?

If you, just like Meaghan, are interested in conducting cutting-edge research in nuclear science with ANSTO, visit https://www.ainse.edu.au/scholarships/ to explore AINSE scholarships.

While you’re waiting for the next Research Spotlight, check out https://www.ainse.edu.au/research-spotlights/ to see the incredible work of past scholars.