There are two major goals of my current research program. The first is the development, validation and application of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic (MRS) and Multi-nuclear Imaging methods for the study of human disease. This program is aimed at understanding how the metabolic information derived from these methods can aid in the diagnosis, staging and treatment of a variety of pathologies. Current applications involve brain tumors, breast cancer, prostate cancer and renal function. This work involves basic research,translational, and clinical investigations. The second part of my program is the development of MR-based molecular imaging agents. This work spans chemical conjugation, basic theoretical treatments of MR effect size. A major aim of this research is the characterization of these agents in model systems. At present a major focus is on lanthanide based relaxation and shift reagents and their conjugation to low-molecular weight ligands. A particular example is the development of lanthanide based chelates for the imaging of micro-calcifications in human breast cancer
Vinogradov E, He HM, Lubag A, Balschi JA, Sherry AD, Lenkinski RE. MRI detection of paramagnetic chemical exchange effects in mice kidneys in vivo. MRM 2007;58:650-655.
Maril N, Rosen Y, Reynolds GH, Ivanishev A, Ngo L, Lenkinski RE. Sodium MRI of the human kidney at 3 tesla. MRM 2006;56:1229-1234.
Vinogradov E, Zhang SR, Lubag A, Balschi JA, Sherry AD, Lenkinski RE. On-resonance low B-1 pulses for imaging of the effects of PARACEST agents. JMR 2005;176:54-63.
Katz-Brull R, Lavin PT, and Lenkinski RE. Clinical utility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in characterizing breast lesions. J Natl Cancer Inst 94:1197-203, 2002.
Zaheer A, Lenkinski RE, Mahmood A, Jones AG, Cantley LC, Frangioni JV, In vivo near infa-red fluoresecence imaging of osteoblastic activity, Nature Biotech, 19:1148-1154, 2001.
External Recognition:
1997 Fellow, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
1999 Luigi Mastroianni Clinical Innovator Award, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Major Collaborative Activities:
Co-Director (with John V. Frangioni) Longwood Small Animal Imaging Facility (Longwood SAIF)
Co-Director (with John V. Frangioni) Center for Molecular Imaging
