Joseph Ioppolo

Joseph Ioppolo is a Research Fellow at The University of Western Australia's Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation & Analysis and serves as the inaugural Radiochemistry Facility Fellow at the WA Node of the National Imaging Facility (WA NIF). Appointed in 2022, he played a pivotal role in commissioning the WA NIF Facility (opened October 2023) and the upcoming RAPID GMP Cyclotron Facility (planned 2025), which houses specialist radiochemistry infrastructure co-funded by UWA and NIF.

His academic credentials include a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Sydney (2011) with thesis Boron-Containing Phosphonium Salts for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy and Imaging under Prof. Lou Rendina and Prof. Michael Kassiou, and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced Honors) in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Sydney (2006).

Dr. Ioppolo's research centers on advancing nuclear medicine through:

• Development of novel $$[^{18}\text{F}]$$ synthesis and quality control methodologies
• Preclinical PET imaging, uptake, and biodistribution analysis
• Technology transfer for radiopharmaceuticals targeting infection, inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders

His work directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals in health and innovation.

Recent publications demonstrate expertise in prostate cancer imaging agents (PSMA tracers) and fibroblast-targeting radiotracers (FAPI), emphasizing automation, rigorous quality control, and clinical translation of $$[^{68}\text{Ga}]$$, $$[^{18}\text{F}]$$, and $$[^{89}\text{Zr}]$$-labeled compounds. Key advancements include aluminum-fluoride peptide labeling and impurity analysis for GMP compliance.

As a certified radiopharmaceutical scientist with the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM), he serves as Supervisor and Assessor for RPS registrars.

His grant portfolio features leadership in:

• Tracking PD-L1 modulation in mesothelioma (icare, 2024-2026)
• Australian Research Network for Targeted Alpha Therapies (MRFF, 2023-2028)
• Zirconium-89 antibodies for PD-L1 imaging (ANZSNM & Charlies Foundation, 2023-2026)
• Gamma Counter for Pre-Clinical Research (NHMRC, 2024)

Dr. Ioppolo co-leads the RAPID team at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, managing clinical production of $$[^{11}\text{C}]$$, $$[^{18}\text{F}]$$, $$[^{68}\text{Ga}]$$, $$[^{89}\text{Zr}]$$, and $$[^{177}\text{Lu}]$$ radiopharmaceuticals including [$$[^{18}\text{F}]$$]PSMA-1007, with expertise in tracer validation and preclinical imaging.