Application of Isotopes in Biology and Medicine

The main objective of the course is understanding the basic

methods and laboratory techniques connected with isotopes

application. During the course basic aspects of nuclear physics and

isotopes production will be presented. Following the course

students should be familiar with principles of analytical methods

in which isotopes are applied, i.e. radioimmunoassay (RIA),

radioreceptorassay (RRA), blood flow, hormone kinetics etc. The

possibilities of the application of these method in biology, animal

science and medicine will be presented.

Lectures

1. Introduction – discussion concerning the basic problems of

nuclear physics (radioactivity, dose of radioactivity, isotopes

etc.).

2. Fundamentals of radioimmunoassay counting (principles of

detection, gamma energy spectrum, system components).

3. Basic principles of radioimmunoassay (RIA) – parameters in

kit selection, kit evaluation, sample control.

4. Application of theRIA method in laboratory diagnostics and

research.

5. Principles of radioreceptorassay (RRA) – kinetics of

radioligand assays, the Scatchard plot. Application of the RRA

method in biology, medicine and pharmacology.

6. Application of labeled substances in in vivo studies (hormone

kinetics, tissue uptake of labeled compound, measurement of

blood flow).

7. Isotopes application in medical diagnostics and treatment.

8. Exam for students.

Lab practicals

1. Evaluation of radioimmunoassay (RIA) parameters (cross

reactivity, recovery of the RIA method, parallelism test).

2. Determination of hormones in animal and human blood plasma

by means of RIA method.

3. Principles of RRA method. Evaluation of competitive RRA

method for different iodothyronines.