• Research Foci

    • Translational PET/MRI imaging of the tumor microenvironment
    • Translational PET/MRI imaging of inflammation
    • Novel combinations of radioligand therapy and immunotherapy

  • CV

    Academic Education

    Junior Clinical Translational Professorship "Imaging Host Responses" (W1, Tenure Track)
    United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 3
    MD, Institute of Physiology, Department of Neurophysiology, University of Würzburg
    Study of Medicine, Staatsexamen, University of Würzburg

    Positions

    Professor and group leader "Imaging Host Responses"
    Section head of diagnostics, Department of Nuclear Medicine
    Senior physician, Department of Nuclear Medicine
    Postdoc at the European Institute for Molecular Imaging
    American Board of Nuclear Medicine Certification (ABNM-C)
    Clinical Fellowship "Nuclear Oncology", Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
    Resident physician, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster
    Spezialisation exam Nuclear Medicine (Germany)

    Honors

    Posterpreis – European Society for Molecular Imaging (ESMI)

    Appointment


    universitart muenster, Translational Imaging (W1 with tenure track to W2) – accepted

  • Publications

    2026

    Backhaus P, Beintner-Skawran S, Fujimoto K, Wang Y. The Global Reading Room: A Patient With Suspected Abscess After Aortic Valve Replacement. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2026;226: e2533316. Abstract
    Muther M, Konig L, Backhaus P, Stummer W, Grauer OM, Schafers M, Schindler P, Weckesser M, Roll W. Prognostic value of [(18)F]FET-PET in diffuse low-grade (grade 2) gliomas after the 2021 classification of CNS tumors. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2026;53: 1951-1961. Abstract

    2025

    Backhaus P, Cazzamalli S, Oehler S, Buther F, Brosch-Lenz J, Landau F, Breyholz H-J, Claesener M, Migliorini F, Ciamarone A, Georgiev T, Mock J, Ventura D, Barca C, Schiefelbein L, Hermann S, Schafers K, Gierse F, Bernemann C, Schlack K, Bogemann M, Puca E, Schindler P, Neri D, Rahbar K, Schrader AJ, Seifert KE, Schafers M. Translational and First-in-Human Positron Emission Tomography Targeting Prostatic Acid Phosphatase in Prostate Cancer Using the Ligand [(68)Ga]Ga-OncoACP3-DOTA. Eur Urol 2025Abstract
    Backhaus P, Seitzer K, Cazzamalli S, Oehler S, Migliorini F, Ciamarone A, Georgiev T, Mock J, Bögemann M, Breyholz HJ, Landau F, Büther F, Puca E, Neri D, Rahbar K, Schrader A, Schäfers M. A new theranostic target in prostate cancer: First results from prostatic acid phosphatase (ACP3) imaging with [68Ga]Ga-OncoACP3-DOTA PET in prostate cancer patients and comparison to [18F]F-PSMA-1007 2025;66
    Kroger K, Pepper NB, Ventura D, Troschel FM, Backhaus P, Rahbar K, Glasbrenner B, Bruwer M, Pascher A, Schafers M, Eich HT, Roll W. FAPI-PET/CT guided radiotherapy for patients with esophageal cancer. Radiat Oncol 2025;20: 29. Abstract
    McGale J, Khurana S, Howell H, Nakhla A, Roa T, Doshi P, Shirini D, Huang A, Duong P, Backhaus P, Liao M, Kaur H, Fontani AMN, Hung I, Pandit-Taskar N, Haberkorn U, Gulati A, Naim A, Sinigaglia M, Bebawy M, Girard A, Seban R-D, Dercle L. FAP-Targeted SPECT/CT and PET/CT Imaging for Breast Cancer Patients. Clin Nucl Med 2025;50: e138-e145. Abstract
    Muther M, Konig L, Backhaus P, Stummer W, Grauer OM, Schafers M, Schindler P, Weckesser M, Roll W. Prognostic value of [(18)F]FET-PET in diffuse low-grade (grade 2) gliomas after the 2021 classification of CNS tumors. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2025Abstract
    Seifert KE, Schlack K, Cazzamalli S, Oehler S, boegemann M, Migliorini F, Ciamarone A, Georgiev T, Mock JC, Breyholz H-J, Ventura D, Landau F, Buether F, Puca E, Neri D, Rahbar K, Schrader AJ, Schäfers M, Backhaus P. Imaging and treatment of the prostatic acid phosphatase with [68Ga]Ga-OncoACP3-DOTA and [177Lu]Lu-OncoACP3-DOTA in prostate cancer patients. Annals of Oncology 2025;36: S1220-S1221. Abstract
    Suero Molina E, Tabassum M, Azemi G, Ozdemir Z, Roll W, Backhaus P, Schindler P, Valls Chavarria A, Russo C, Liu S, Stummer W, Di Ieva A. Synthetic O-(2-(18)F-fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine-positron emission tomography generation and hotspot prediction via preoperative MRI fusion of gliomas lacking radiographic high-grade characteristics. Neurooncol Adv 2025;7: vdaf001. Abstract
    Vaz SC, MacLennan S, van Nijnatten T, Attard A, Backhaus P, Baltzer P, Koretić MB, Buckle T, Cook G, Dibble EH, Gebhart G, Gennari A, Groheux D, Harbeck N, Hildebrandt MG, Mann R, Penault-Llorca F, Pinker K, Ribeiro JM, Rivera S, Romeo V, Rubio IT, Schettini F, Schroder C, Treglia G, Ulaner GA, van Kruchten M, Weber WA, Cardoso F, Goffin K, Erba PA. European association of nuclear medicine (EANM) focus meeting 6 consensus on molecular imaging in breast cancer (endorsed by EUSOBI, ESSO, ESTRO, EuropaDonna). The EANM Journal 2025;1: 100004. Abstract
    Ventura D, Ernst I, Timma B, Schafers M, Backhaus P. Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Head With Intense [ 68 Ga]OncoFAP Uptake. Clin Nucl Med 2025;50: e182-e183. Abstract

    2024

    Backhaus P, Pentlow KS, Ho AL, Mauguen A, Fagin JA, Pillarsetty NVK, Lyashchenko SK, Burnazi E, Ghossein RA, Chhabra S, Abusamra M, Larson SM, Schoder H, O'Donoghue J, Weber W, Grewal RK. [(18)F]TFB PET/CT misses intense [(124)I]iodine-avid metastases after redifferentiation therapy in metastatic thyroid cancer. EJNMMI Res 2024;14: 91. Abstract
    Roll W, Bauer J, Dik A, Mueller C, Backhaus P, Rauber S, Zinnhardt B, Gallus M, Wimberley C, Kortvelyessy P, Schindler P, Stenzel W, Elger CE, Becker A, Lewerenz J, Wiendl H, Meuth SG, Schafers M, Melzer N. [(18)F]DPA-714-PET-MRI reveals pronounced innate immunity in human anti-LGI1 and anti-CASPR2 limbic encephalitis. J Neurol 2024Abstract

    2023

    Cufe J, Gierse F, Schäfers KP, Hermann S, Schäfers MA, Backhaus P, Büther F. Dispersion-corrected extracorporeal arterial input functions in PET studies of mice: a comparison to intracorporeal microprobe measurements. EJNMMI Res 2023;13: 86. Abstract
    Galbiati A, Dorten P, Gilardoni E, Gierse F, Bocci M, Zana A, Mock J, Claesener M, Cufe J, Büther F, Schäfers K, Hermann S, Schäfers M, Neri D, Cazzamalli S, Backhaus P. Tumor-Targeted Interleukin 2 Boosts the Anticancer Activity of FAP-Directed Radioligand Therapeutics. J Nucl Med 2023Abstract
    Gallus M, Roll W, Dik A, Barca C, Zinnhardt B, Hicking G, Mueller C, Naik VN, Anstotz M, Kramer J, Rolfes L, Wachsmuth L, Pitsch J, van Loo KMJ, Rauber S, Okada H, Wimberley C, Strippel C, Golombeck KS, Johnen A, Kovac S, Gross CC, Backhaus P, Seifert R, Lewerenz J, Surges R, Elger CE, Wiendl H, Ruck T, Becker AJ, Faber C, Jacobs AH, Bauer J, Meuth SG, Schafers M, Melzer N. Translational imaging of TSPO reveals pronounced innate inflammation in human and murine CD8 T cell-mediated limbic encephalitis. Sci Adv 2023;9: eabq7595. Abstract
    Rassek P, Schafers M, Rahbar K, Backhaus P. [18F]-PSMA-1007-PET for evaluation of kidney function. Nuklearmedizin 2023;62: 244-251. Abstract

    2022

    Backhaus P, Burg MC, Asmus I, Pixberg M, Büther F, Breyholz H-J, Yeh R, Weigel SB, Stichling P, Heindel W, Bobe S, Barth P, Tio J, Schäfers M. Initial Results of FAPI-PET/MRI to Assess Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer. J Nucl Med 2022Abstract
    Backhaus P, Burg MC, Roll W, Büther F, Breyholz H-J, Weigel S, Heindel W, Pixberg M, Barth P, Tio J, Schäfers M. Simultaneous FAPI PET/MRI Targeting the Fibroblast-Activation Protein for Breast Cancer. Radiology 2022;302: 39-47. Abstract
    Backhaus P, Gierse F, Burg MC, Büther F, Asmus I, Dorten P, Cufe J, Roll W, Neri D, Cazzamalli S, Millul J, Mock J, Galbiati A, Zana A, Schäfers KP, Hermann S, Weckesser M, Tio J, Wagner S, Breyholz H-J, Schäfers M. Translational imaging of the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) using the new ligand [(68)Ga]Ga-OncoFAP-DOTAGA. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022;49: 1822-1832. Abstract
    Zana A, Galbiati A, Gilardoni E, Bocci M, Millul J, Sturm T, Stucchi R, Elsayed A, Nadal L, Cirillo M, Roll W, Stegger L, Asmus I, Backhaus P, Schäfers M, Neri D, Cazzamalli S. Fibroblast Activation Protein triggers release of drug payload from non-internalizing small molecule-drug conjugates in solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2022Abstract

    2020

    Backhaus P, Büther F, Wachsmuth L, Frohwein L, Buchholz R, Karst U, Schäfers K, Hermann S, Schäfers M, Faber C. Toward precise arterial input functions derived from DCE-MRI through a novel extracorporeal circulation approach in mice. Magn Reson Med 2020;84: 1404-1415. Abstract
    Backhaus P, Roll W, Beuker C, Zinnhardt B, Seifert R, Wenning C, Eisenblätter M, Thomas C, Schmidt-Pogoda A, Strunk D, Wagner S, Faust A, Tüttelmann F, Röpke A, Jacobs AH, Stummer W, Wiendl H, Meuth SG, Schäfers M, Grauer O, Minnerup J. Initial experience with [(18)F]DPA-714 TSPO-PET to image inflammation in primary angiitis of the central nervous system. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2020Abstract
    Foray C, Barca C, Backhaus P, Schelhaas S, Winkeler A, Viel T, Schäfers M, Grauer O, Jacobs AH, Zinnhardt B. Multimodal Molecular Imaging of the Tumour Microenvironment. Adv Exp Med Biol 2020;1225: 71-87. Abstract
    Schleupner MC, Riemann B, Schäfers M, Backhaus P, Vrachimis A. Impact of FDG-PET on therapy management and outcome of differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients with elevated thyroglobulin despite negative iodine scintigraphy. Nuklearmedizin 2020;59: 356-364. Abstract
    Zinnhardt B, Müther M, Roll W, Backhaus P, Jeibmann A, Foray C, Barca C, Döring C, Tavitian B, Dolle F, Weckesser M, Winkeler A, Hermann S, Wagner S, Wiendl H, Stummer W, Jacobs AH, Schäfers M, Grauer OM. TSPO imaging-guided characterization of the immunosuppressive myeloid tumor microenvironment in patients with malignant glioma. Neuro Oncol 2020;22: 1030-1043. Abstract

    2018

    Backhaus P, Huss S, Kosek V, Weckesser M, Rahbar K. Lung Metastases of Intracranial Atypical Meningioma Diagnosed on Posttherapeutic Imaging After 177Lu-DOTATATE Therapy. Clin Nucl Med 2018;43: e184-e185. Abstract
    Backhaus P, Noto B, Avramovic N, Grubert LS, Huss S, Bögemann M, Stegger L, Weckesser M, Schäfers M, Rahbar K. Targeting PSMA by radioligands in non-prostate disease-current status and future perspectives. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2018;45: 860-877. Abstract