Klaus Kopka

Prof. Dr. Klaus Kopka is a Full Professor for Bioinorganic and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry at TU Dresden and Director of the Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). His research focuses on developing radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnostics and theranostics, particularly targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), mutant IDH1 in gliomas, and somatostatin receptors. Key contributions include the design of PSMA-inhibitor-based PET/SPECT tracers, theranostic radionuclide pairs (e.g., 133La/225Ac), and copper- and mercury-mediated labeling strategies.

Education & Career:
- PhD in Chemistry (1996, WWU Münster)
- Habilitation in Radiochemistry (2007, WWU Münster)
- Associate Professor (2012, WWU Münster)
- W3 Professor & Head of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Department at DKFZ (2013-2018)
- Current roles since 2019: TU Dresden Professor & HZDR Institute Director

Research Interests: Radiometal complexation, theranostic agents for prostate cancer, IDH1 mutation imaging, and preclinical evaluation of α-emitters like Actinium-225. His group develops novel chelators (e.g., macropa-based cryptands) and automation strategies for GMP-compliant radiopharmaceutical production.

Award Highlights:
- 2018 Stifterverband Science Prize for interdisciplinary research
- 2022 Yong Whee Bahk Lectureship Award (Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine)

Lab & Collaborations: His team operates advanced radiochemistry facilities at HZDR, focusing on cyclotron-produced radionuclides (e.g., 61Cu, 133La) and theranostic applications. Collaborations include clinical trials for PSMA-targeted therapies and preclinical models of pancreatic cancer metabolism.