Johns Hopkins Research Saves Lives is a university-wide initiative that shares the real-life impact of research happening every day at Johns Hopkins. From breakthrough discoveries in the lab to new approaches that transform patient care, the campaign highlights how researchers are making a difference improving and often saving lives both here at home and across the globe. Through stories that connect and outreach that inspires, the initiative builds public trust in science and reminds us why sustained research funding is essential.

Within this mission, the department of radiology plays a critical, evolving role. As the nexus between discovery and diagnosis, radiology researchers pioneer technologies that detect disease earlier, personalize treatment, and track therapeutic success with precision directly supporting the campaign’s central message: research saves lives.

This year’s Radiology Update features a diverse collection of investigators and projects from advancing cancer imaging and engineering smarter therapies to refining stroke diagnosis and quantifying treatment response. These stories reflect the department’s innovation and cross-disciplinary reach, representing only a portion of our faculty, all driving discoveries and advancing patient care to ensure radiology research continues to have a life-saving impact.

Transforming Cancer Care Through Innovative Imaging

Zaver Bhujwalla, vice chair of research and director of the Cancer Imaging Division, leads a collaborative, multidisciplinary team advancing how cancer is detected, understood, and treated through imaging. The division develops technologies that integrate imaging biology, therapy monitoring, and molecular profiling to explore cancer at multiple biological levels.

Under her leadership, the division has grown into a dynamic hub for translational research, uniting experts in molecular biology, radiology, and bioengineering. This environment encourages cross-disciplinary work that pushes the boundaries of what imaging can achieve in cancer research. Studies span from preclinical investigations to translational applications, ensuring discoveries move efficiently from the lab to patients.

With a strong foundation and clear vision, Bhujwalla emphasizes evolving alongside emerging imaging technologies and staying deeply integrated within the cancer research community—improving outcomes and shaping the future of cancer care.

Uncovering New Paths to Detect and Treat Cancer-Induced Cachexia

One of Zaver Bhujwalla’s recent research focuses is on cancer-induced cachexia, a severe muscle and weight loss affecting up to 80% of pancreatic cancer patients. “Cachexia is such a devastating condition, and finding ways to detect and intervene earlier could make an enormous difference for patients with this condition,” she shared.

Collaborating with Johns Hopkins pathology and gastroenterology faculty, her team studies plasma and tissue samples to understand disease progression and identify biomarkers. In a recent study, Meiyappan Solaiyappan, research associate, applied artificial intelligence analysis to spectral data from plasma to detect pancreatic cancer with about 90% sensitivity and specificity. This finding suggests metabolomic profiling could become a noninvasive way to detect and monitor cancer, paving the way for earlier interventions.

Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals: A Gentler Approach to Cancer Therapy

Sangeeta Ray, associate professor in the division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, is leading research in radiopharmaceutical therapy, developing drug molecules bound to radioisotopes that precisely attack cancer cells while minimizing harm to surrounding tissues. Her work centers on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), overexpressed in both prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma, opening promising avenues for broader applications.

“It’s exciting to see patients respond so well to treatments that are not only effective but also less toxic,” Ray shared. Early departmental support, including the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund and BriteStar Award, helped her secure major NIH and Department of Defense grants. Trained as a chemist, she transitioned into the field of cancer imaging and therapy through a competitive NIH K25 grant as one of only two recipients in the country at the time, positioning her to advance targeted radiopharmaceutical development.

Innovating Cancer Care Through Pre-Targeting Therapy

Dmitri Artemov, professor, is advancing pre-targeting therapy, a method that delivers cancer-fighting agents only to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. The approach starts with a non-toxic antibody that binds to cancer cells, followed by an “effector” molecule—drug, immune cell, or bacteria that attaches exclusively to those antibodies. PET, MRI, and SPECT imaging track the targeting in real time.

Currently in preclinical trials for HER-2 positive and triple-negative breast cancer, the team is exploring HER-2 and TROP-2 receptors as targets. The pre-targeting approach is also being evaluated in aggressive prostate cancer models. “Our goal is to create therapies that are not only highly effective but also less harmful to patients,” Artemov says. He credits collaboration with Sudath Hapuarachchige, assistant professor, and support from the U.S. Army Congressionally Directed Medical Research Breast Cancer Program and the Swim Across America Foundation. Artemov also serves as associate director of the Cancer Functional Imaging Core, driving innovations to make cancer treatments smarter and safer.