Current Research

Nanoparticle-based interventional therapies

Multimodality Therapy of Liver Tumor with Doxorubicin-Loaded Hollow Gold Nanoshells

IR Investigators: Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
Collaborators: Chun Li, Ph.D. and Jun Zhao, Ph.D. (Cancer Systems Imaging)
Goal: To develop an entirely new multimodality treatment approach that not only mediates efficient photothermal ablation (PTA) but also combats liver tumors through chemotherapy minimally invasive interventional techniques.

Optimizing techniques and imaging evaluation of combining locoregional ablation therapies in rabbit liver tumors with nanoparticles

IR Investigators: Alda L. Tam, M.D., Sanjay Gupta, M.D., Marites P. Melancon, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Chun Li, Ph.D. and Jun Zhao, Ph.D. (Experimental Diagnostic Imaging) and Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics)
Goal: To study the liver tumor uptake of hollow gold nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin when combined with either irreversible electroporation (IRE), radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or near-infrared (NIR) laser ablation.

Intravital Imaging of Embolization Using Drug-eluting Beads in an Animal Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

IR Investigators: Rony Avritscher, M.D., Marites Melancon, Ph.D., Mohamed Abdelsalam, M.D., Tomas Appleton Figueira, M.D.
Collaborators: Jody Vykoukal, Ph.D. (Molecular Pathology) and Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics)
Goal: To better understand the particle and drug distribution, as well as perfusion of HCC before and after DEB-TACE. 

Molecular Imaging Strategy for Treatment Planning of Brain Tumor Mediated by Stem Cell Labeled Multifunctional Nanoparticle

IR Investigators: Marites P. Melancon, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Frederick Lang, M.D., (Neurosurgery), Richard Bouchard, Ph.D., and R. Jason Stafford, Ph.D. (Imaging Physics)
Goal: To determine if stem cells labeled with gold-based, magnetic small particles would improve imaging and treatment strategies for brain tumors. 

IRE (Irreversible Electroporation)-based ablation therapies

Irreversible electroporation (IRE): A newly emerging tumor ablation technology; Evaluation in the  musculoskeletal system

Investigators: Alda Tam, M.D., Michael Wallace, M.D., Kamran Ahrar, M.D.,
Collaborators: Mihai Iurascu Gagea, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Veterinary Medicine), Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics) and Nahum S. Goldberg, M.D. (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard School of Medicine)
Goal: To explore the use of irreversible electroporation (IRE), in musculoskeletal tissue and its potential to preserve adjacent neurologic structures as a key advantage over other available thermal ablation technologies. 

IRE ablation in a spine cancer model

IR Investigators: Alda Tam, M.D.
Collaborators: Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics), David Fuentes, Ph.D. and Jason Stafford Ph.D., (Imaging Physics), Mihai Iurascu Gagea, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Veterinary Medicine)
Goal: To explore the use of irreversible electroporation (IRE) in the ablation of tumors in a large animal model. 

Imaging of Nanopore formation after IRE in bone and optimizing the delivery of nanoparticles

IR Investigators: Alda Tam, M.D., Marites Melancon, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Chun Li, Ph.D. (Experimental Diagnostic Imaging), Mihai Iurascu Gagea, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Veterinary Medicine), Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics)
Goal: To visualize cell membrane pore formation in bone marrow cells after IRE and characterize the size and number of cell membrane pores formed.

Developing an electroporation and nanoparticle based therapeutic platform for bone metastases: Evaluation of local delivery strategies to optimize intratumoral nanoparticle uptake

IR Investigators: Alda Tam, M.D., Sanjay Gupta, M.D., Marites Melancon, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Jennifer Mitchell, VDM (Veterinary Medicine and Surgery), Mihai Iurascu Gagea, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Veterinary Medicine), Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics)
Goal: To investigate the tumoral uptake of superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs loaded with doxorubicin (SPIO-DOX) when used with irreversible electroporation (IRE).

Irreversible electroporation in a rabbit osteomyelitis Model

IR Investigators: Alda Tam, M.D., Sanjay Gupta, M.D., Marites Melancon, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Jennifer Mitchell, VDM (Veterinary Medicine and Surgery), Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics), Samuel Shelburne, M.D., Ph.D. (Infectious Diseases)
Goal: To study the effects of irreversible electroporation (IRE) in bacterial bone infections with and without antibiotics. 

Stem cell therapies

Adjunctive use of mesenchymal stem cells to enhance tumor destruction after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

IR Investigators: Rony Avritscher, M.D., Marites Melancon, Ph.D
Collaborators: Jody Vykoukal, Ph.D. (Molecular Pathology), Hiroo Suami, M.D., Ph.D. (Plastic Surgery), Melissa Taggert, M.D. (Pathology), Amirali Hamir, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Veterinary Medicine) and Joe Ensor, Ph.D. (Biostatistics)
Goal: To improve healing after tumor destruction by internal heating by using stem cells.

CT imaging of liver lesions in a rabbit VX2 tumor model - Comparison of conventional contrast agent vs a blood-pool liposomal-iodinated contrast agent (NCTX-150)

IR Investigators: Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
Collaborators: Ketankumar B. Ghaghada, Ph.D. (Texas Children’s Hospital)
Goal: To determine the sensitivity and specificity when imaging small liver tumors as compared to conventional contrast agent in the rabbit VX2 tumor model.

To assess the safety and efficacy of a completely absorbable IVC filter in swine

IR Investigators: Steven Y. Huang M.D., Michael Wallace M.D.
Collaborators: William Cohn M.D. (Texas Heart Institute) and Mitchell Eggers Ph.D. (Adient Medical)
Goal: To develop a safe and effective fully absorbable filter that prevents blood clots from traveling to the lungs in high risk patients for whom conventional therapies are not possible.

To develop radiopaque absorbable medical devices

IR Investigators: Marites Melancon Ph.D., Chun Li Ph.D., Steven Y. Huang M.D.
Collaborators: Mitchell Eggers, Ph.D. (Adient Medical), William Cohn, M.D. (Texas Heart Institute), Glen Goodrich , Ph.D. (Nanospectra Biosciences), and Jonathan Ophir, Ph.D. (University of Texas Medical School)
Goal: To make resorbable materials detectable to allow for imaging of revolutionary implantable medical devices.

Directed evolution of imaging agents by mRNA display in large animals

IR Investigators: Erik Cressman, M.D., Ph.D. 
Collaborators: Steven Millward, Ph.D. (Cancer Systems Imaging) 
Goal: To find new useful compounds that stick very well to the blood vessel walls, or not at all. 

SIBR Phase I Topic 331-Optical Biosensor for real time assessment of tumor cellularity during needle biopsy

IR Investigators: Sharjeel Sabir, M.D.
Collaborators: Gordon Mills, M.D., Ph.D. (Systems Biology)
Goal: To perform a preliminarily evaluation of new sensor to improve sampling during biopsy procedures. 

For an overview of research being conducted by members of the Interventional Radiology department, please visit SciVal Experts.