Yonsei University · 医学
Professor Won Jun Kang's research lab specializes in molecular imaging and targeted theranostics, focusing on the development of advanced imaging probes and radiolabeled agents for precise cancer detection and therapy. The lab integrates nuclear medicine, nanotechnology, and molecular biology to create innovative tools such as radiolabeled aptamers, quantum dot conjugates, and PET tracers for real-time monitoring of tumor biomarkers like HER2 and integrins. Key research directions include optimizing stem cell tracking, improving early diagnosis of metastatic cancers, and identifying prognostic imaging biomarkers such as metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis in renal and liver cancers. The lab also explores FRET-based imaging to visualize molecular interactions in live cancer cells, enabling deeper insights into tumor biology and therapeutic targeting.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
We have shown that 18F-FDG-labeled stem cell PET could be used to assess the tissue distribution and to measure the amount of stem cells at a target tissue. 18F-FDG-labeled stem cell PET can be used to measure and optimize the amount of stem cells injected.
Aptamers conjugated with quantum dots (QDs) bind to target molecules on the cellular membrane of cancer cells. QDs with a carboxyl terminal are conjugated with three types of tumor-targeting aptamer (see picture). Various types of cancer cell are simultaneously targeted with QD-TTA1 (605nm, light green), QD-AS1411 (655nm, red), and QD-MUC-1 (705nm, violet). Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy
The 18F-labeled aptamer enabled appropriate visualization of HER2 expression by human breast cancer cells. The results suggest that a radiolabeled HER2 aptamer could potentially be applied in the development of treatment strategies or in targeted therapy against HER2-positive breast cancer cells.
Metabolic tumor volume and TLG are independent prognostic factors for predicting PFS and OS in patients with metastatic RCC. Furthermore, MTV and TLG could provide additional prognostic information in patients with clinically high-risk metastatic RCC treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapies.
Thousands of proteins are simultaneously involved in the maintenance of a single cancer cell. Fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) is one of the most general techniques for imaging biologically interacting molecules in a cell. Here, we applied FRET to image the co-localization of two proteins that do not interact biologically (nucleolin and integrin α(v) β(3),) both of which are highly expressed in the plasma membrane of cancer cells. AS1411 aptamer, which targets nucleolin, was labeled
The number of viable segments should be >4 for rest (201)Tl SPECT or >5 for the reversibility parameter for the prediction of global functional improvement in a patient-based evaluation. With a logistic function created from these parameters, the long-term clinical prognosis after bypass surgery could be predicted by the presence of viability on preoperative rest-stress myocardial SPECT.
F-FDG PET/CT parameters are good prognostic markers for the response of cervical cancer patients to concurrent chemoradiation therapy, as compared with the RECIST criteria.
Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML) is an idiopathic proliferation of unique histiocytes that have vesicular nuclei and voluminous pale cytoplasm, often with emperipolesis. Pure cutaneous involvement is very rare. We describe a patient with SHML limited to the skin whose lesion has spontaneously regressed. A 35-year-old Korean male visited the Department of Dermatology due to facial rash for 2 months. A 3 x 3.5 cm-sized well-demarcated dark erythematous nontender plaque was n
Characteristic fat and calcification patterns on AC-CT of PET/CT were extremely helpful in differentiating mature from immature teratomas, especially in mature teratomas with increased F-FDG uptake. This can potentially reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from additional contrast-enhanced CT.
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