Bhujwalla, from Johns Hopkins Division of Cancer Imaging Research, was recognized at the 10th annual World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) in Philadelphia
CULVER CITY, Calif., December 21, 2017 – The World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) presented the 10th annual Gold Medal Award at the World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) to Dr. Zaver Bhujwalla, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Bhujwalla was recognized for her body of work on molecular imaging and theranostics of the tumor microenvironment. Her most recent work in identifying the critical role of stromal cells in promoting metastasis led her to develop cancer cell membrane coated nanoparticles used as decoys to misdirect cancer cell-stromal cell interactions.
Bhujwalla currently serves as Professor, Vice Chair of Research, and Director of Div. of Cancer Imaging Research at the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a WMIS Fellow and served as President of the WMIS in 2013.
Currently she is taking these studies in an entirely new direction by using these nanoparticles to activate the immune system to trigger T-cells that will infiltrate and fight cancer cells. The nanoparticles can be detected with optical imaging.
The WMIS held its 10th annual meeting of the WMIC September 13 – 16, 2017 in Philadelphia, PA, where there were 247 oral presentations and 551 poster presentations with over 1,200 attendees.
“The WMIC provides an annual forum where the molecular imaging community can come together to collaborate with academic and industry partners, discuss new ideas and innovations and present cutting-edge MI discoveries for the very first time,” said Sanjiv (Sam) Gambhir, MD, PhD, Immediate Past President, WMIS, Stanford University School of Medicine. “The WMIS was proud to present the annual Gold Medal Award to Dr. Bhujwalla, who has been a pioneer in molecular imaging cancer research throughout her career.”
“It is such a great honor to receive the Gold Medal Award from the World Molecular Imaging Society and to be able to highlight our work in molecular imaging and theranostics of cancer,” said Dr. Bhujwalla. “The WMIS is truly unique because it promotes molecular imaging research in all modalities and all diseases from discovery to first-in-human applications. The exchange of leading edge information that occurs at the WMIC is critical in advancing our efforts to achieve precision medicine for cancer and other diseases through the applications of molecular imaging.”
ABOUT WORLD MOLECULAR IMAGING SOCIETY
The WMIS is dedicated to developing and promoting translational research through multimodality molecular imaging. The education and abstract-driven WMIC is the annual meeting of the WMIS and provides a unique setting for scientists and clinicians with very diverse backgrounds to interact, present, and follow cutting-edge advances in the rapidly expanding field of molecular imaging that impacts nearly every biomedical discipline. Industry exhibits at the congress included corporations who have created the latest advances in preclinical and clinical imaging approaches and equipment, providing a complete molecular imaging educational technology showcase. For more information: www.wmis.org.
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