Two brand new PhDs in radiation physics are just beginning their postdoctoral research in the United States. Nils Rudqvist has obtained an appointment at Columbia University in Manhattan and Emil Schüler at Stanford University in California.
Dr. Rudqvist’s thesis concerned 131I and 211At, two radioactive substances that target the thyroid gland and are also used as tumor targeting drugs.
“We used molecular biology methods to study what happens in the thyroid when exposed to 131I and 211AT as a means of identifying the biological functions affected by radiation,” Dr. Rudqvist says. Another goal was to find markers that the thyroid has been exposed to radiation, ultimately to determine how much it can tolerate. He had accepted the postdoctoral appointment long before defending his thesis last month.
One of the oldest labs in the world
He will be heading out to the Columbia Center for Radiological Research (CCR) in Manhattan late this May. CCR is one of the world’s oldest laboratories devoted to radiological research. His future studies will focus more on radiation per se than its medical applications. He will continue working on identifying biomarkers of exposure, as well as on designing tests.
“No methods are currently available for screening large populations after an atom bomb has been dropped, after a disaster at a nuclear plant, etc.,” Dr. Rudqvist says. “Hopefully we will be able to develop a relatively simple blood test that can pick out those who are in need of care.”
Dr. Schüler defended his thesis late last year. His research at Sahlgrenska Academy concerned the synthetic isotope lutetium-177, which is used as a component in a radioactive medication for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (177Lu-octreotate). The medication is administered in cautious doses to avoid damaging the kidneys, but laboratory experiments have shown that they tolerate a good deal more than is currently permitted. His project involved identifying markers of what that level actually is.
“The prognosis is poor in clinical practice, but our treatment in the laboratory was 100% successful,” Dr. Schüler says. Optimization of the therapy has been neglected. “I firmly believe that the kidneys can handle a lot more,” Dr. Schüler says. “Based on radiation markers, we could safely increase the dose for humans as well.” His thesis identified potential markers that could be included in a future panel aimed at improving treatment of neuroendocrine tumors.
Dr. Schüler had to try a little harder than Dr. Rudqvist to find an appointment in the United States. His girlfriend, who received a PhD in Physics, had already obtained a postdoctoral appointment with a Nobel laureate at Stanford. When his initial strategy of emailing to professors both there and other universities nearby proved unsuccessful, it dawned on him that he needed to switch gears. He started calling around to Swedish acquaintances who might know somebody at Stanford. Things started to pick up at that point.
“I got in touch with an older professor at Stanford, who put me on the right track,” Dr. Schüler says. “In two short weeks, I already had four interviews scheduled. When the research team I was most interested in made an offer, I jumped at it.”
A number of recently PhDs from the Department of Radiation Physics have obtained postdoctoral appointments abroad. The camaraderie on the team was vital in the case of Dr. Rudqvist.
“We have not been competing for opportunities but supporting each other,” he says. “We have tipped each other off and opened doors for one another.. Helping others and not getting totally caught up in your own future plans is valuable in both personal and professional life.”
Read Dr. Rudqvist’s thesis Radiobiological effects of the thyroid gland – transcriptomic and proteomic responses to 131l and 211At exposure: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/38006
Read Dr. Schuler’s thesis Biomarker discovery and assessment for prediction of kidney response after 177Lu-octreotate therapy: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/37298
AV: ELIN LINDSTRÖM CLAESSEN
