Katharina Lückerath

Prof. Dr. Katharina Lückerath is a leading academic in nuclear medicine and serves as the Head of Preclinical Theranostics at the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Essen, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Her research is centered on advancing theranostic approaches in oncology, integrating diagnostic imaging with targeted radionuclide therapies to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

Her research interests span nuclear medicine, theranostics, radioligand therapy, molecular imaging, tumor biology, and resistance mechanisms in cancer. She investigates how tumor heterogeneity, metabolism, and microenvironmental factors influence treatment response, aiming to develop more effective and personalized therapies. Her work includes preclinical evaluation of PSMA- and FAPI-targeted agents, combination strategies, and the use of PET/CT and SPECT/CT for biomarker discovery.

The recent publications reflect a strong focus on translational oncology, with studies on FAPI- and PSMA-based imaging and therapy, mechanisms of resistance, and novel pretargeting strategies. Her team utilizes advanced preclinical models and imaging technologies to validate new radioligands and optimize dosing and delivery. Collaborative work with international experts underscores the impact of her research in shaping clinical theranostic practices.

Prof. Lückerath leads a multidisciplinary research group comprising PhD students, biologists, and radiopharmaceutical scientists, fostering innovation in experimental radiochemistry and preclinical imaging. Her team has access to state-of-the-art facilities including Molecubes PET/SPECT/CT systems and autoradiography tools, enabling high-throughput and high-resolution studies.