McMaster University recently announced five globally recognized researchers from the United States would be joining our community as Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada. The program is intended to attract leading international researchers to Canada and strengthen Canada’s research ecosystem.

One of these chairs is Jonathan McConathy, joining McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As Chair in Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Theranostics, McConathy will accelerate the development, translation, clinical evaluation and commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosing and treating cancer and neurological diseases.

We spoke with McConathy about McMaster’s leadership in nuclear research, the promise of new radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancer and brain disease, and his decision to leave the U.S. to help build a world-class research program in Hamilton.

Why is McMaster University the right place to pursue your ambitious research goals?

McMaster University is a leader in nuclear sciences and radiopharmaceutical development including an on-campus nuclear reactor that has been operational for over 60 years. McMaster faculty also have a tradition of radiopharmaceuticals development, including drugs that are now in clinical trials sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies.

Given the local strengths and growth of the field as whole, McMaster is positioned to develop a world-class nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceutical program spanning isotope production, new drug development, clinical trials, and state-of-the art patient care.

Major factors in my decision to come to McMaster are the quality of the leadership and the people. From President Tighe down, there is commitment and strategic planning to make McMaster the “‘Nuclear University”’ that will advance science and medical research, train the next generation of nuclear workers across a range of fields, and improve people’s lives by making the most promising discoveries and technologies widely available.

McMaster also has excellent clinical partner institutions through Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. I am very excited to join and help grow this great team of scientists, physicians, and educators that will improve the lives of Canadians and people throughout the world.

What is the most important problem you are working on and how would a solution impact people’s life?

My research group focuses on the development, translation and clinical use of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging and therapy as well as molecular neuroimaging. A major focus of my research is theranostic radiopharmaceuticals. In this paradigm, an imaging agent is used initially to determine if a therapeutic target is present prior to starting treatment. For some cancers, a radiopharmaceutical that recognizes the same target but contains a cancer-killing radioactive label is administered if the target is present. Examples of this theranostic approach in routine clinical use include treatment for prostate cancer with radiopharmaceuticals targeting prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease using radiopharmaceuticals that identify and monitor the clearance of abnormal brain amyloid deposits.

The development of new theranostic radiopharmaceuticals at McMaster will provide new tools for diagnosing and treating a wider range of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. As the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair in Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Theranostics at McMaster, my group will develop and test new radiolabeled amino acids for this purpose and work with other researchers to start clinical trials with radiopharmaceuticals developed by their teams. Radiopharmaceutical therapies are often better tolerated than other cancer therapies and have the potential to be combined with other treatments to enhance overall effectiveness. In collaboration with other researchers and clinicians in Hamilton, we hope to provide new and better treatments to our patients locally and, in the longer term, throughout Canada and the world.

Can you share a moment or experience that inspired you to pursue your research or changed the way you think about it?

A formative research experience occurred while working on my PhD research with my mentors Mark Goodman and Michael Owens. I spent substantial time improving the radiosynthesis of the non-natural amino acid fluciclovine, a cancer imaging agent, and characterizing the major byproducts of this synthesis to support human imaging studies.

While this was an important project, it did get a bit boring at times and did not generate the excitement of a breakthrough discovery. Years later, this work as well as efforts by many other investigators contributed to the approval and routine use of fluciclovine for prostate cancer imaging, including in my own clinical practice.

Looking back, this experience reinforces that discoveries that improve patient care are years in the making and rely on the cumulative efforts of many people. It also lends perspective on my current research, recognizing the importance of the day-to-day work as well as exciting new discoveries.

Outside of your research and work, what is capturing your attention right now?

Much of my focus right now is settling into life in Hamilton and work at McMaster as a recent transplant from Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. The recent instability in the United States and the political and economic tensions between Canada and the U.S. have made me think a lot about the big picture goals of a healthy society and how I can contribute to the local and national ecosystems in Canada. My wife Suzanne Lapi, also a Goldenberg Research Chair at McMaster, and I are very fortunate to have this opportunity and have been very happy with our family’s decision to move.

Looking 10 years into the future, what do you hope will exist in Canada as a result of your research?

Canada is poised to be a leader in radiopharmaceutical and nuclear medicine research. I hope that I can contribute to growing the production and translation of radiopharmaceuticals in the Hamilton region and in Canada over the next decade. In addition to expanding and enhancing academically-based programs, there are opportunities to attract pharmaceutical companies and other industries to perform cutting-edge research that will benefit patients and lead to investments in infrastructure and workforce.

In 10 years, I expect that radiopharmaceutical research will be thriving at McMaster and in Hamilton, leading to healthier and longer lives in Canada and across the globe.