Nusano, a physics company transforming the production of radioisotopes, today announced the creation of a Medical Radioisotopes Advisory Board. This panel of internationally recognized leaders in nuclear medicine will provide strategic guidance to Nusano, ensuring its product development aligns with emerging trends and with the needs of cancer patients. The board will also guide the development of isotopes for next-generation theranostic compounds.
“As a radioisotope producer, Nusano plays a critical role in the supply chains of drug developers, healthcare providers and researchers,” said Chris Lowe, CEO of Nusano. “Establishing a Medical Radioisotopes Advisory Board reflects our ongoing commitment to proactively enabling the next generation of oncology research. The board’s guidance will ensure Nusano is providing a stable and scalable supply of isotopes for new areas of research and patient care.”
Radioisotopes are essential components in the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used in new and emerging cancer therapies including molecular radiation. Existing supply chains for these treatment-enabling resources are often strained, posing a risk to patient care, clinical trials, and ongoing drug development.
Nusano is working to stabilize supply chains and enable innovation by bringing new sources of radioisotopes to multiple markets. Opening in 2025 in West Valley City, Utah, the Nusano production platform will be capable of generating more than 40 radioisotopes applicable to medical and industrial uses. It is anchored by a proprietary ion source technology which accelerates heavy particles (alphas and deuterons) to generate high volume, high quality (CGMP-grade) radioisotopes with unparalleled efficiency using eco-friendly methods. The result is one of the first significant advancements in radioisotope production in decades.
The five members of the Nusano advisory board are (listed alphabetically by last name):
Munir Ghesani
Munir Ghesani, MD, FACNM, FACR, FSNMMI, is the Medical Director of United Theranostics in Princeton and the Chief Medical Officer of United Theranostics. He previously served as the Systems Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging at Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Dr. Ghesani has been actively involved in clinical practice, research, clinical trials, and education for over 25 years, primarily focusing on nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies.
Dr. Ghesani has authored more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals and is the Editor-in-Chief of a three-part book on nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. He has delivered over 150 presentations at regional, national, and international conferences.
Dr. Ghesani has held leadership roles in various societies and colleges, including Immediate Past President of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), Past-President of the Education and Research Foundation of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Past Chairman of the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, Past Chairman of the Government Relations Committee, and the FDA Task Force of the SNMMI, as well as Past Chairman of the Nuclear Medicine and PET Accreditation Committee of the American College of Radiology. In January 2020, he was awarded the ACNM Personal Best Mentor of the Year. He has also been recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Nuclear Medicine (2006), the American College of Radiology (2018), and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (2023).
Suzanne Lapi
Suzanne E. Lapi, Ph.D. is the Emmet O’Neal II Professor, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor of Radiology and Chemistry and Cyclotron Facility Director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is also the Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Radiology. Her research interests are in the development and translation of new PET radionuclides and molecular imaging agents. She has over 150 publications and is principal investigator on active research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and United States Department of Energy (DOE), as well as industry partners. She oversees production of PET radionuclides and imaging radiopharmaceuticals for preclinical research and clinical trials. Her group holds more than 15 approved INDs and supplies Cu-64, Zr-89, Mn-52 and other isotopes to groups across the USA and internationally. She is a Fellow of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and a strong advocate of radiopharmaceutical sciences and the training of future nuclear and radiochemists at the graduate, postdoctoral and faculty levels.
Luke Nordquist
The CEO of the XCancer® Organization, Dr. Luke Nordquist is a practicing Medical Oncologist with an expertise in prostate cancer. Nordquist’s Community Cancer Center in Omaha, Neb. is internationally known, gaining recognition for its participation in early and late phase radiopharmaceutical trials of Ra-223, Lu-177, Ac-225, Th-227, Pb-212, Zr89, In111, Cu-64, and Cu-67. Nordquist and his XCancer team have conducted over 40 imaging & therapeutic Theranostic trials to date including 22 Firsts-in-World trials. His research program is recognized for rapid start-ups, high accruals, and exceptional data timeliness and quality. Dr. Nordquist is also the Founder of TheranosticTrials.Org, a digital platform increasing education and access of global Theranostic trials. Through his XCancer® Research Network, Nordquist is working to provide access to cutting edge clinical trials closer to home. In so doing, he and his collaborators are to increase community cancer center participation and drive improved access for cancer patients regardless of geography.
Philip Koo
Dr. Koo is the Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Phoenix, AZ. Prior to this, he was Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Koo completed his transitional internship at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center-Presbyterian, radiology residency at Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and fellowship at the Harvard Medical School Joint Program in Nuclear Nusano: Medical Radioisotopes Advisory Board
Medicine. He is a diplomate of both the American Board of Radiology (ABR) and American Board of Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Koo’s academic interests have focused on nuclear medicine in prostate cancer and response to novel therapies using PET, with over 80 peer reviewed publications and abstracts. He has lectured nationally and internationally on topics related to imaging and radiopharmaceutical based therapies in prostate cancer. Dr. Koo is the Founding Chair of the SNMMI Therapeutics Conference and received the SNMMI Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2022.
Neal Shore
Neal Shore, MD, FACS, graduated from Duke University and Duke University Medical School. He completed his general surgery/urology residency at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He serves as the Medical Director for the Carolina Urologic Research Center. Dr. Shore has conducted more than 400 clinical trials, focusing mainly on genitourinary oncology, and has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters. He serves on the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Guidelines Committee for Bladder Cancer, as well as the boards of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, the APCCC Scientific Steering Committee, Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, and the Duke Global
Health Institute. He is the Chair of both the Prostate Cancer Academy and the Bladder/Kidney Cancer Academy, and the co-chair of the annual AUA International Prostate Forum. He has served/serves on the editorial boards of Reviews in Urology, Urology Times, Chemotherapy Advisor, OncLive, PLOS ONE, Urology Practice, JUOP, Everyday Urology Oncology and World Journal of Urology. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Reviews in Urology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Certified Physician Investigator.
