ISOLPHARM_Ag is a two-year experiment in the framework of the ISOLPHARM collaboration.

ISOLPHARM is a INFN patented methodology for the production of high specific activity radionuclides (radiopharmaceutical precursors) by means of the ISOL technique. ISOLPHARM_Ag, in particular, has the aim of studying and demonstrating as a proof of principle the production and use of a particular promising silver isotope (111Ag) with this technique, and its possible application as a radiopharmaceutical precursor. This radionuclide, which has never been produced with high specific activity, is extremely interesting for its possible application in the radiopharmaceuticals field due to its combination of decay and half-life properties.

ISOLPHARM_Ag will address the potential production and use of 111Ag from two point of views: computational and experimental.

Computational studies will focus on the development of Monte Carlo codes able to predict the production and release of 111Ag from the ISOLPHARM primary target. This codes will be executed thanks to the support of a cloud infrastructure in the Cloud Area Padovana (INFN PD). The development of a web based portal in which to execute simulations and to collect the calculated data is a fundamental part of this activity.

The experimental part will involve physics, chemistry and biology studies. The ionization and transport of silver will be studied at the SPES Front End (INFN LNL). Chemistry studies to develop and characterize silver complexes will be carried out by personnel associated to LNL at Padova University and by TIFPA personnel in their labs. Biological studies on molecules synthesized at Padova University (personnel associated to LNL) will be carried out at LNL and TIFPA (Biotech), to evaluate the radionuclide carrying to different cellular targets. This project is extremely interdisciplinary, because it links together numerical simulation of physics processes, physics phenomena like ionization and transport of atomic beams, chemistry and purification of silver and biological evaluation of molecules able to transport silver to target cells.

The ISOLPHARM_Ag experiment includes the participation of 3 INFN sections/laboratories and the involvement of 15 INFN researchers. In particular:

• LNL will participate to both computational and experimental studies in physics, chemistry and biology, thanks to the competences of its personnel (which includes researchers from Padova University, Departments of Chemical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences) in development of Monte Carlo codes, beam transport, chemistry and pharmaceutical development.
• PD will be involved in computational studies, due to the competences of the involved personnel in setup and maintenance of cloud infrastructures (Cloud Area Padovana) and in software engineering for the creation of dedicated workflows for parallel execution of MC codes and development of web based user portals.
• TIFPA will participate to experimental activities regarding chemistry (characterization of properties of the developed complexes) and biology (development of cell cultures, targeting studies) due to the interdisciplinary competences of the involved personnel and the presence of the Biotech Lab.