Personalized Medical Imaging

Identification of Biomarker May Lead to Earlier Detection of Stomach Cancer

UArizona researchers recently discovered a promising new biomarker that appears in patients before stomach cancer develops.

Juanita Merchant, MD, PhD, is a gastric cancer expert whose research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of the disease.

Currently, diagnosis of stomach or gastric cancer requires the patient to undergo an upper endoscopy, where a doctor looks for signs of cancer and takes a tissue sample for analysis.

Measuring Acid Content in Tumors

Researchers at the University of Arizona are leading efforts to image the molecular compositions of tumors in patients with cancer, to improve cancer diagnoses and evaluate the earliest responses to cancer treatment.

The Contrast Agent Molecular Engineering Laboratory (CAMEL)

The Contrast Agent Molecular Engineering Laboratory (CAMEL) develops chemical agents that change the contrast of biomedical images. These contrast agents are designed to respond to molecular biomarkers of biological processes and pathologies. This molecular information is used to predict response to therapy before the therapy is applied, monitor the delivery of therapy to targeted tissues, and evaluate the early-stage effects of the therapy. These diagnostic methods that affect the choice of therapy are designed to provide personalized medicine for each individual patient.

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