The CERAD project

Centre for Design and Synthesis of Molecularly Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals (CERAD) is a strategic research infrastructure listed on the Polish Research Infrastructure Roadmap. The planned infrastructure will be utilized both commercially and scientifically. The project will be accomplished by a consortium established by NCBJ, Warsaw University, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Warsaw, Warsaw Medical University, Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, and Medical University in Białystok. Works of the consortium will be coordinated by NCBJ.

The objective of the CERAD project is to develop a modern infrastructure dedicated to research on new diagnostic/therapy radiopharmaceuticals based on ligands biologically active on the cell/molecular level. Radioactive isotopes combined with disease molecular markers may help to diagnose some serious diseases and to apply suitable treatment sooner than before. The project meets the challenges of the development of effective methods of cancer diagnostics/therapy in line with worldwide socio-demographic trends.

CERAD center will make use of some NCBJ-owned infrastructure already available in Świerk:

• Maria nuclear reactor
• Świerk Computer Centre
• pre-clinical test lab
• Polatom R&D lab.

However, some objects must be developed from scratch and/or purchase:

• three-story new building
• cyclotron capable to accelerate particles up to 30 MeV energy
• analytical/biology labs with suitable equipment.

Some infrastructure will also be acquired as in-kind contributions of other than NCBJ members of the Consortium.

The project value is 143.7 million PLN, of which approximately 73.0 million PLN will be contributed by the European Union via its Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020. The project will be implemented from August 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022).

Professor Renata Mikołajczak is the Project Leader.