The Radiopharmacology team, led by Dr. Dirk Bier, focuses on the comprehensive characterization of newly developed radioligands, particularly for the A₁ and A_2A adenosine receptor systems. The methodological spectrum includes receptor and enzyme assays, autoradiographic techniques, and chemical-analytical methods for studying metabolism. This is achieved through advanced technologies like LC-MS and specific in vitro models such as liver microsomes and blood-brain barrier models.

Additionally, pharmacological evaluations of new radioligands in preclinical models are used to analyze in vivo parameters like blood-brain barrier permeability, organ distribution, accumulation patterns, kinetics, and metabolism in various organs. These experiments provide a detailed understanding of the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution.

The insights gained from both in vitro and in vivo studies provide information on structure-activity relationships, which are essential for further synthesis planning and optimizing compound properties. This may involve selecting an alternative labeling position within the molecule to improve the radiopharmaceutical’s bioavailability and selectivity.