Anil Parsram Bidkar, PhD, receives SNMMI-PCF Young Investigator's Award

Reston, VA (March 20, 2026)-- The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) are pleased to announce that Anil Parsram Bidkar, PhD, assistant professional researcher in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has been selected as the recipient of a $225,000 Young Investigators Award. The grant, which is cosponsored by the SNMMI Mars Shot Fund and PCF, was awarded based on his proposal, "CD46-targeted dual-isotope and hybrid pre-targeted radiotherapy platform to overcome tumor heterogeneity in prostate cancer."

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) represents a lethal stage of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer affects more than 300,000 men annually in the United States and accounts for approximately 35,000 deaths each year. mCRPC is difficult to treat due to its aggressive progression, poor response, and molecular heterogeneity across metastatic lesions. Although radiopharmaceutical therapies such as ¹⁷⁷ Lu-PSMA and ²²⁵ Ac-PSMA therapies have transformed prostate cancer care, large fractions of patients, particularly those with PSMA-low, PSMA-negative, or neuroendocrine disease, derive minimal or no benefit.

"CD46, a surface cell protein that is widely expressed across adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and PSMA-low tumors, represents a promising alternative target to treat mCRPC," said Bidkar. "Leveraging this target, our goal is to develop an image-guided radiotheranostic platform capable of delivering uniform radiation across heterogeneous and disseminated mCRPC."

Bidkar and colleagues hypothesize that the coordinated delivery of alpha- and beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals, either co-displayed on a single CD46 antibody or delivered sequentially will improve tumor control while reducing normal-tissue toxicity. The researchers will first develop and characterize a CD46-targeted dual isotope that incorporates ²²⁵ Ac (alpha-emitter) and ¹⁶¹ Tb (beta-emitter), then engineer a pretargeted CD46 radiotherapeutic platform to localize the tumor and deliver treatment. The impact of this novel approach will then be assessed using mCRPC cell models.

"By integrating novel radiochemistry, mixed-field radiation biology, and CD46-targeted precision delivery, this project aims to generate tools and treatment strategies that transcend PSMA limitations, eradicate micro-metastases, address tumor heterogeneity, and accelerate translation toward first-in-human trials," noted Bidkar. "The anticipated impact is a transformative class of radiopharmaceutical therapies capable of improving survival and quality of life for patients with advanced prostate cancer."

This research will be conducted under the mentorship of Robert Flavell, MD, PhD, in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco, with additional guidance from Bin Liu, PhD, Henry VanBrocklin, PhD, Rahul Aggarwal, MD, and Youngho Seo, PhD. This multidisciplinary team brings expertise in radiochemistry, molecular imaging, radiobiology, quantitative imaging, and clinical oncology, strengthening the translational development of this CD46-targeted radiotheranostic platform.

Bidkar's research integrates antibody engineering, radiochemistry, quantitative PET/SPECT imaging, and in vivo radiobiology to develop highly specific, image-guided alpha and mixed-field radiotherapies. He holds a masters degree in pharmaceutical biotechnology from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research and a doctoral degree in cancer targeted drug delivery from the Indian Institute of Technology, both in Guwahati, India. He completed his postdoctoral training in radiotheranostics at the University of California, San Francisco.

The PCF Young Investigators program has awarded a total of $93 million over three decades to more than 435 researchers who have made important advancements in prostate cancer research and kept the field vibrant with new ideas. In 2025, the SNMMI Mars Shot Fund partnered with PCF to co-sponsor a grant to advance important prostate cancer research among early-career nuclear medicine and molecular imaging physicians and scientists.

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About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. For more information, visit snmmi.org .

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising more than $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research through more than 2,250 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers, with a global footprint spanning 28 countries. Since PCF's inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to the mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org .