Presenter: Dr. Umar Mahmood, MD
Vice Chair for Precision Imaging in the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Mahmood’s research has focused on translational applications of molecular imaging to guide precision medicine, with an emphasis on the tumor microenvironment, cancer signaling pathways, changes in cancer metabolism, and the interaction of the immune system with tumors. He is interested in applying image information for disease characterization and optimization of individual treatment response. In addition to his work at MGH, he is Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the NIH Clinical Center. He serves on the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of RSNA, and serves on the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Scientific Program Committee of SNMMI.
ABSTRACT: Historically, many of the gains in medicine have been achieved by uniformly applying medical insights to large groups of patients. A combination of increasing biological understanding of the heterogeneity of disease processes and the concurrent expansion of available selective therapeutic interventions has provided the opportunity to improve group outcomes by optimizing treatment on an individual basis. In many cases, molecular imaging is ideally suited to serve as a biomarker to guide therapy selection and dosing, and to provide an early assessment of efficacy. This presentation highlights by example several areas in which imaging helps determine target engagement, dynamic cellular response to treatment, and the effectiveness of immune modulation in oncologic treatment.