Jiang He, PhD
Jiang He, PhD, an associate professor in the Departments of Radiology and Medical Imaging (primary), Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering, and his colleagues were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million NIH-NIC R01 grant titled “Targeting tumor-specific epitope for imaging and therapy for mesothelioma” to develop a molecularly targeted radiation technology known as radiotheranostics, a transformative “see-and-treat” approach to cancer therapy.
Radiotheranostics integrates advanced molecular imaging and precision radiation treatment to locate cancer with remarkable accuracy and deliver targeted therapies directly to cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue. The focus of this research is on developing theranostic agents that target CD46, a protein marker present in various cancers, including multiple myeloma, colon, ovarian, mesothelioma, and prostate cancers. These agents will enable non-invasive measurement of CD46 levels to identify patients most likely to benefit from specific therapies while facilitating personalized radiation dosing for enhanced treatment outcomes.
Central to the research is the development of Targeted Alpha Particle Therapy (TAT), a next-generation cancer treatment that delivers high-energy radiation over short distances (50-100 µm), effectively destroying cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. This precision therapy holds significant promise for addressing cancers that resist conventional treatments. By leveraging the unique properties of alpha particles and precise molecular targeting of the monoclonal antibodies, Dr. He’s work aims to redefine cancer treatment at the molecular level, offering hope for improved patient outcomes and a new era in personalized cancer care.
Other collaborators on this grant are Bin Liu, PhD, co-principal investigator, Youngho Seo, PhD, and Robert Flavell, MD, PhD, from University of California at San Francisco; Sui Shen, PhD, from University of Alabama at Birmingham; Raffit Hassan, MD, Frank Lin, MD, PhD, and Martin Brechbiel, PhD, from NIH-NIC, and Ani Manichaikul, PhD, from University of Virginia.
Filed Under: Research