Research Programs

The Consortium for Imaging and Biomarkers seeks to improve cancer screening, early detection of aggressive cancer, assessment of cancer risk, and cancer diagnosis by integrating imaging strategies with biomarkers into complementary approaches.  Our study aims to provide the medical community with an integrated multi modal imaging methodology that detect over-expressed cell surface targets and cancer at the earliest stages possible, reduce overdiagnosis, and distinguish lethal from non-lethal disease.

NIDCR has established the Advancing Head & Neck Early Cancer Detection Research (AHEAD) program to accelerate clinical translation of new methods to improve early detection of head & neck cancers (HNC).  This research program focuses on early detection of HCN by applying molecular, cellular, and multi-omics signatures to clinical studies for differentiating benign from premalignant lesions, and identifying prognostic signatures on the transformation from premalignant to malignant lesions.

NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention has established a Translational Liver Cancer Consortium to advance translational research focused on early detection of liver cancer., improve the surveillance of liver cancer in high-risk populations, increase the fraction of liver cancer detected at an early stage, and better stratify patients at risk of developing liver cancer.  Congruent with the consortium's goals,  here at Wang Lab we aim to uncover new methods of molecular imaging to determine the natural history of indeterminant live nodules.

The University of Michigan BETRNet Research Center is focused on developing a multi-spectral, targeted molecular imaging for early detection and prevention of cancer in BE patients. Inter-related projects concentrate on genomics, molecular probes and imaging instrumentation, including development of enabling technology to help physicians guide tissue biopsy at-risk of esophageal mucosa (high-grade dysplasia and early adenocarcinoma), and a research validation tool to visualize biomarkers of cancer risk in BE patients.  Novel methods of in vivo imaging will be demonstrated.

The Bioengineering Research Partnership (BRP) is a collaboration between the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.  This NIH-funded program aims to accelerate the development of an integrated, imaging technology to detect cancer specific targets expressed by the epithelium in hollow organs for early cancer detection.  We will develop a flexible fiber, wide-field endoscope using a scalable optical design.  A panel of fluorescently-labeled peptides will be optimized for multiplexed imaging, and in vivo instrument performance will be verified using patient-derived adenoma organoids in a pre-clinical model of colorectal cancer (CRC).

We are working with the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taoyuan, Taiwan to develop novel methods for early detection of colorectal cancer.   To expand scholarly ties, facilitate academic cooperation, and promote mutual understanding, the Regents of the University of Michigan, a Michigan Constitutional corporation, on behalf of its Medical School, and the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou have agreed to establish mutually beneficial exchange relationships.  A Student and Faculty Exchange Agreement was prepared to provide a general framework for the exchange of students and/or faculty/staff members of the parties.