Our laboratory is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge metabolic imaging tools to illuminate how cancer alters metabolic processes in the brain. With a deep focus on hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we are pioneering techniques that allow us to visualize oncogenic events with unprecedented clarity.
Among our most exciting innovations are hyperpolarized 13C agents- such as alanine, glucose, and gluconolactone- that reveal telomere maintenance mechanisms in brain tumors. Today, we’re expanding our efforts to tackle meningiomas, developing tailored metabolic imaging biomarkers that reflect their molecular profiles. By turning invisible processes into actionable insights, our research is transforming how brain tumors are understood, diagnosed, and ultimately treated.
Relevant publications:
- Viswanath P, Batsios G, Mukherjee J, Gillespie AM, Larson PEZ, Luchman HA, Phillips JJ, Costello JF, Pieper RO, and Ronen SM. Non-invasive assessment of telomere maintenance mechanisms in brain tumors. Nature Communications. 2021; 12(1):92. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20312-y. PMID: 33397920.
- Viswanath P, Batsios G, Ayyappan V, Taglang C, Gillespie AM, Larson PEZ, Luchman HA, Costello JF, Pieper RO, Ronen SM. Metabolic imaging detects elevated glucose flux through the pentose phosphate pathway associated with TERT expression in low-grade gliomas. Neuro-oncology 2021; 23(9):1509-1522. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noab093. PMID: 33864084.