Aaron Smith, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral fellow
asmit53@emory.edu
Research Interests
I graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2001 with a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in History. I continued at Tennessee to pursue my doctorate in Chemistry and acquired it in 2006. My graduate research involved the synthesis and radiolabeling of receptor-binding ligands. In January of 2007 I took a position in industry at Nanotek LLC which was eventually acquired by Advion Biosciences. I conducted research in the rapid synthesis of radiotracers in an effort to build a system that would complement a mini-cyclotron that was being designed by an affiliate of the company. While at Advion, I also conducted contractual work for GlaxoSmithKline and successfully synthesized specialty radiotracers. I continued working at Advion until June of 2007 after I accepted a post-doc position to conduct collaborative research with Dr. Young and Dr. Goodman at Emory University.My research interests have involved the biochemistry of receptors and the rapid synthesis of their radioactive cognate ligands. My graduate research involved designing radiotracers that bound to a specific type of acetylcholine receptors. This particular receptor’s function increased in a certain type of cancer, small cell lung carcinoma. In a collaborative effort with the Veterinarian School at the University of Tennessee, the increased function of the receptors was exploited and SPECT images of small cell lung carcinoma were obtained using a hamster model. At Emory, Dr. Young has provided me an opportunity to help investigate the endocrine system’s role in behavior. Through my research, I hope to prove that PET chemistry is a viable route for diagnosis of certain behavioral disorders. Our current research efforts involve the synthesis of non-peptide radiotracers that bind specifically to oxytocin receptors and the investigation of their distribution via PET imaging.