Zaver M. Bhujwalla, Ph.D., M.Sc.

Headshot of Zaver M. Bhujwalla
  • Director, Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology
  • Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science

Research Interests

Choline metabolism in cancer; Inflammation and COX-2 in breast cancer; Vascularization, cancer stem cells, hypoxia, pH, collagen, macromolecular transport; Theranostic imaging for precision medicine; Cancer-induced cachexia ...read more

Background

Dr. Bhujwalla’s work is dedicated to the applications of molecular and functional imaging to understand and target cancer and the tumor microenvironment.  Her major focus areas are the tumor microenvironment, cancer-induced cachexia, and theranostic imaging. Dr. Bhujwalla is a Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, the American Institute of Biomedical Engineers, and the World Molecular Imaging Society. Dr. Bhujwalla was awarded a Gold Medal from the World Molecular Imaging Society in 2017. She was awarded a Gold Medal from the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in 2019.

Dr. Bhujwalla is currently associated with the editorial boards of Molecular Imaging, NMR in Biomedicine, Cancer Biology and Therapy, and Tomography.  She serves as the Specialty Chief Editor-Cancer Imaging and Diagnosis, Frontiers in Oncology.  Dr. Bhujwalla has over 240 publications in this field.  

At the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Bhujwalla serves as Director of the Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Vice-Chair of Research, and Director of the MRB Molecular Imaging Center and Cancer Functional Imaging Core in the Dept. of Radiology.  She also co-directs the Cancer Molecular and Functional Imaging Program of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC).  

Dr. Bhujwalla served as Chair of the Career Development Advisory Committee of the Department of Radiology from 2011-2022.

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Titles

  • Director, Division of Cancer Imaging Research, Department of Radiology
  • Co-Leader, Cancer Molecular and Functioning Imaging Program (CMFI), Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Vice Chair of Research, Department of Radiology
  • William R. Brody Professor in Radiology
  • Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science
  • Professor of Oncology
  • Professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • M.Sc.; Middlesex Hospital Medicine School - London - England (United Kingdom) (1985)
  • B.Sc.; University of Bombay (India) (1980)
  • M.Sc.; University of Bombay (India) (1982)
  • Ph.D.; University of London (England) (1988)

Additional Training

  • Diploma in Radiological Physics (BARC, University of Bombay)
  • Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, (1991) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Dr. Bhujwalla’s research is dedicated to the applications of molecular and functional imaging to understand and target cancer and the tumor microenvironment.

Significant research contributions include: 

  1. Developing ‘theranostic agents’ for image-guided precision targeting of cancer including delivery of siRNA, cDNA, prodrug enzymes, and phototherapy agents,
  2. Understanding the role of inflammation and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in cancer using molecular and functional imaging, 
  3. Developing noninvasive imaging techniques to detect COX-2 expression in tumors, 
  4. Understanding the role of hypoxia and choline metabolism in stem-like breast cancer cells, 
  5. Using molecular and functional imaging to understand the role of the tumor microenvironment including the extracellular matrix, hypoxia, vascularization, and choline phospholipid metabolism in cancer invasion and metastasis, 
  6. Molecular and functional imaging characterization of cancer-induced cachexia to understand the cachexia-cascade and identify novel targets in the treatment of this condition, 
  7. Development of cancer cell membrane coated nanoparticles to disrupt cancer cell-stromal cell interactions and induce an immune response.

Selected Publications

View all on PubMed

Aboagye, E. and Bhujwalla, Z. M.  Malignant Transformation Alters Membrane Phospholipid Metabolism of Human Mammary Epithelial Cells.  Cancer Research, 59: 80-84, 1999. PRIOR TO 2008

Stasinopoulos I, O'Brien DR, Wildes F, Glunde K, and Bhujwalla ZM. Silencing of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibits metastasis and delays tumor onset of poorly differentiated metastatic breast cancer cells. Mol Cancer Res. 5: 435-42, 2007

Chen Z, Penet MF, Nimmagadda S, Li C, Banerjee SR, Winnard PT Jr, Artemov D, Glunde K, Pomper MG, Bhujwalla ZM. PSMA-Targeted Theranostic Nanoplex for Prostate Cancer Therapy.  ACS Nano. 6: 7752-62, 2012. PMCID:PMC4066818

Krishnamachary B, Penet MF, Nimmagadda S, Mironchik Y, Raman V, Solaiyappan M, Semenza GL, Pomper MG, Bhujwalla ZM. Hypoxia regulates CD44 and its variant isoforms through HIF-1α in triple negative breast cancer.  PLoS One. 7: e44078, 2012. PMCID:PMC3429433

Winnard PT Jr, Bharti S, Penet MF, Marik R, Mironchik Y, Wildes F, Maitra A, Bhujwalla ZM. Detection of Pancreatic Cancer-induced Cachexia using a Fluorescent Myoblast Reporter System and Analysis of Metabolite Abundance.  Cancer Res. 2016; 6(6):1441-50. PMCID: PMC4794402

Activities & Honors

Honors

  • William R. Brody Professor of Radiology, 2018
  • The National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Award (R35), National Institutes of Health, 2017
  • World Molecular Imaging Society’s Gold Medal, World Molecular Society, 2017
  • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, 2007
  • Fellow, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2007
  • Outstanding Teacher Award, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Honolulu, 2009
  • Distinguished Investigator, Academy of Radiology Research, 2012
  • Fellow, World Molecular Imaging Society, 2013
  • SAASCR Outstanding Achievement Award, 2021
  • Gold Medal Award, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), Montreal, Canada, 2019

Memberships

  • American Association of Cancer Research
  • American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
  • International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
  • Radiation Research Society
  • Society for Molecular Imaging

Professional Activities

  • President, World Molecular Imaging Society, 2012 - 2013
  • Board of Trustees of the ISMRM, 2020 - 2023

Videos & Media

Lectures and Presentations

  • To Image and Imagine: A Molecular Imaging Journey through the Cancer Universe
    Paul C. Lauterbur Lecture, ISMRM, Toronto (06/08/2023)
  • Molecular Imaging and Theranostics of Cancer: Unraveling the Gordian Knot
    Plenary Lecture, Inaugural Alavi-Bradley Symposium on Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, Baltimore, Maryland (05/24/2022)
    University of Maryland School of Medicine
  • A Molecular Imaging Journey through the Cancer Universe
    Raymond E. Counsell Lecture, Ann Arbor, Michigan (11/11/2021)
    Departments of Radiology and Pharmacology, University of Michigan
  • Theranostic MRI in Oncology
    Plenary Lecture, Honolulu, HI (01/01/2017)
    ISMRM
  • A Molecular Imaging Journey through the Tumor Microenvironment
    Emory University Radiology Grand Rounds and Visiting Professor Program, Atlanta, Georgia (01/01/2015)
    Department of Radiology Grand Rounds, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Molecular and Functional Imaging of the Tumor Microenvironment
    The Alan C. Burton Lecture, London, Ontario, Canada (04/24/2014)
    University of Western Ontario and Schulich Medical Center
  • To Image and Imagine: Molecular and Functional Imaging of Cancer
    The Negendank Lecture (01/01/2006)
    Cancer Study Group of the ISMRM
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