Dr. Mirwais Wardak is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Radiology at Stanford University. Dr. Wardak’s research focuses on quantitative molecular imaging, biomedical modelling, cardiac stem cell therapy, and machine learning. Dr. Wardak was the guest speaker at a lecture organized by the MGH Gordon Center. Below is his presentation summary.
Dr. Wardak highlighted results from two projects.
The first project involves a human trial with a brain tumor imaging agent called [18F]FSPG. [18F]FSPG is a glutamate analog tracer developed for PET imaging of system xC- transporter activity, which plays an important role in cell growth, tumor progression and drug resistance of several cancers.
He also showed results from a new PET tracer that they have developed in the Gambhir Lab which is able to specifically image bacterial infections in the body (both Gram+ and Gram-).