Master thesis project: Kidney Toxicity

Developing methods to evaluate kidney toxicity after radiopharmaceutical therapy for cancer
Are you eager to work in a scientific setting while staying connected to real-world applications? Do you want to collaborate with skilled scientists to develop procedures that will create value for future drug development and healthcare? Then making your master’s thesis at Minerva Imaging may be just the right thing for you.

Project description
Targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies (TRT) have recently opened new avenues for cancer patients to the extend where radiopharmaceutical drugs have been forecasted to “storm the market”.1

Contrary to conventional radiation therapy which delivers beams of radiation from outside the body to kill tumors inside the body (Figure 1a), TRT delivers specific radiation to tumors and prospective metastasis throughout the body while sparring healthy tissues (Figure 1b).

Most novel TRTs are excreted through the renal system, and in some instances, reabsorbed into the kidney leading to increased radiation exposure and damage to the kidneys (Figure 1c). The treatment may be excellent at eradicating tumors, but the kidney toxicity will be a showstopper for the drug moving to the clinic.

At Minerva Imaging, we want to be the global partner supporting the development of radiopharmaceutical therapies for cancer. To select the most effective and safe drugs, we wish to develop methods to evaluate TRT induced kidney toxicity ultimately guiding and accelerating radiopharmaceutical drug development.

Figure 1 . Dolgin, E. Radioactive drugs emerge from the shadow to storm the market (2018). Nature Biotechnol. 36(12):1125-1127. doi: 10.1038/nbt1218-1125.
Project objectives
The project aims to develop methods to assess nephrotoxicity after TRT in mice and potentially also minipigs. The objective is to elucidate and establish protocols for assessing key parameters of kidney function and injury by leveraging on various state-of-the-art in vivo and ex vivo equipment and assays. Throughout the project period, the student will have a significant role in identifying and determining key parameters to assess and will get hands-on experience with a variety of methods across our interdisciplinary pharmacology departments, including but not limited to:

• Establishing animal models of late-stage radiation (kidney) toxicity: Treatment planning and administration of single and repeated dose regimens of radiopharmaceutical therapy in animals
• Animal monitoring: Body weight monitoring and establishing clinical observations protocols
• Blood sampling, hematology readouts and plasma assays: Longitudinal assessment of influence on blood parameters and biomarkers linked to renal function/injury
• Non-invasive in vivo imaging: Longitudinal assessment of kidney function with diagnostic tracers, developing optimal imaging protocols
• Macroscopic examinations: Necropsy and organ weights to assess extend of tissue damage
• Microscopic examinations: Immunohistochemistry and autoradiography of kidney tissue sections to evaluate severity of damage with AI software

Project success criteria
At the end of the project period the student will have developed a platform for screening radiopharmaceutical drug candidates for potential kidney toxicity in small and potentially also in large animal species. The student will have gained valuable insights into the drug development industry, developed practical problem-solving skills and improved their communication and collaboration skills while gaining hands-on experience bridging academic learnings and industry practices.

The MI Scholar Program
As a master student you will be part of our internal Minerva Imaging Scholar Program. The program is designed to support Minerva Imaging’s continued development as a scientifically driven CRO and focuses on developing novel tools and procedures that expand the capabilities in our focus areas.

The project period is 9-12 months, and the start date is flexible although Q3 (August/September), 2025 is preferred. The project is open as both a master’s project and/or research year project. The research year is a unique opportunity to delve deeper into a topic and get a closer look at the world of research and life as a researcher. As a master’s project, it will also be possible to combine the project with a student job at Minerva Imaging. Throughout the project you will be assigned to an internal senior scientist that will supervise you.

Your profile
The ideal candidate is driven by applied science and enjoys in vivo work. It is essential that you have a positive attitude, are proactive, take ownership of the project and drive it forward. It is also important that you set high quality standards for data deliveries.

You should be on a relevant master’s program (Human Biology, Molecular Biomedicine, DVM, engineer or other nature and life sciences programs). It is an advantage if you have already passed a course in laboratory animal science (FELASA category AD or similar), but it is not a requirement.

Application:
If you are interested in the project and want to learn more, please reach out to Department Manager, Lotte K. Kristensen; email: [email protected]. Please submit your application via our website. The application must include a short, motivated cover letter and a CV. Applications are evaluated continuously.

About Minerva Imaging:
Minerva Imaging is a scientifically driven and integrated CRO and CDMO specialized in targeted radionuclide therapies. We focus on the use of advanced animal models within oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and in vivo molecular imaging for translational research and drug development.

We engage with our sponsors to understand their scientific questions and discuss how our methods and capabilities can provide answers. Our facility located in Ølstykke, Denmark offers best–in–industry fully integrated radiopharmaceutical research, drug development, and manufacturing services.

Minerva Imaging is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds and experiences to apply.

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Department: Nuclear Imaging

Deadline: 22 April 2025

Location: Lyshøjvej, 21, 3650, Ølstykke, Denmark