DCTD Programs
NCI Synthetic Biology for Molecular Imaging in Cancer Workshop
April 22-23, 2024
Workshop Recordings: Day 1 
, Day 2
On this page:
- Research Challenge
- Synthetic Biology Offers New Opportunities for Molecular Imaging in Cancer
- Workshop Highlights
- Workshop Recordings and List of Sessions and Speakers
- Workshop Organizers
- Contact
Research Challenge
Molecular imaging is an integral part of oncology research and plays critical roles in cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
Despite recent advances in imaging resolution and quality, the complexity of tumor evolution requires improved accuracy and precision in molecularly targeted imaging to observe functional changes in a tumor and its microenvironment. In addition, developing site-specific and target-oriented delivery of imaging probes and tools is a challenge.
Synthetic Biology Offers New Opportunities for Molecular Imaging in Cancer
The rapid progress of synthetic biology offers new opportunities to design novel imaging agents and platforms for precision imaging by:
- Centering on engineering biologics with expanded and enhanced properties to perform novel functions through synthesizing innovative molecules and repurposing naturally existing molecules and structures
- Emphasizing precise control with iterative design and refinement to engineer modular and responsive biological elements that can predictably produce any given input
- Advancing research tools such as molecular diagnostics and dynamic sensors and principles in the last decade that aid treatment
To enhance the impact of synthetic biology on molecular cancer imaging, the NCI Cancer Imaging Program convened a two-day virtual workshop (April 22-23, 2024) on Synthetic Biology for Molecular Imaging in Cancer.
Workshop Highlights
- Attendee Tasks
- Evaluate the potential of synthetic bioengineering methodologies to advance molecular cancer imaging for research and clinical application
- Identify new opportunities, delineate the key challenges, and develop strategies to overcome these challenges
- Spur discussion and collaboration among scientists to match synthetic bioengineering design principles with agent and tool development in cancer imaging
- Scientific Session Topics
- Development of engineered synthetic sensing and information processing technologies
- Synthetic immunity to cancer
- Cell-specific targeted nucleic acid nanomedicine
- Biomolecular ultrasound for deep tissue imaging and the creation of sensitive reporters and bioresponsive sensors through synthetic gene circuits
- Synthetic organelles for cellular imaging and actuation
- Programmable cell behavior using synthetic G protein-coupled receptors
- Orthogonal protein tags for imaging and controlling engineered immune cells.
- Discussion Topics
- Molecular-genetic imaging for cancer immunotherapies
- Synthetic biomarkers for early cancer detection
- Engineered microorganisms as cancer drug delivery systems
- Next-generation therapeutics
- Engineered antibodies for imaging in oncology and immunology
- Immune cell reporter systems for Molecular imaging.
- Evolution of molecular imaging tools from research to clinical application, including strategies to enhance imaging features through circulating tumor DNA
Workshop Recordings and List of Sessions and Speakers
Recordings — Day 1
(Sessions 1 and 2); Day 2
(Sessions 3, 4, and 5)
Session 1: Applications of Synthetic Biology in Medicine
Chair: Joshua Leonard; NIH Moderator: Jerry Li (NCI)
Title: Opportunities and technologies for engineered synthetic sensing and information processing
Joshua Leonard (Northwestern University)
Title: Toward the development of synthetic immunity to cancer
Kole Roybal (UC San Francisco)
Title: Cell-specific targeted nucleic acid nanomedicine in oncology and beyond
Hamideh Parhiz (University of Pennsylvania)
Title: Engineering vaccines, cell and gene therapies using synthetic biology
Wilson Wong (Boston University)
Title: Using genome editing to convert oncogenic mutations to unique protein biomarkers
Kevin McHugh (Rice University)
Panel Discussion (Chaired by Joshua Leonard, Northwestern U)
Session 2: Synthetic Biology in Molecular Imaging
Chair: Mikhail Shapiro; NIH Moderator: Yisong Wang (NCI)
Title: Talking to cells: biomolecular ultrasound for deep tissue cellular imaging and biosensing
Mikhail Shapiro (Caltech)
Title: Accelerating the therapeutic discovery through noninvasive monitoring of the brain
Jerzy Szablowski (Rice University)
Title: Harnessing synthetic gene circuits to create sensitive reporters and bioresponsive sensors for deep-tissue imaging
Arnab Mukherjee (UC Santa Barbara)
Title: Engineering synthetic organelles as cellular Imaging and actuating Agents
Christopher Contag (Michigan State University)
Title: Synthetic G protein-coupled receptors for programmable sensing and control of cell behavior
Nicholas Kalogriopoulos (Stanford)
Session 2 Panel Discussion (Chaired by Mikhail Shapiro, Caltech)
Session 3: Molecular Imaging in Synthetic Biology
Chair: Mark Sellmyer; NIH Moderator: Tatjana Atanasijevic (NIBIB)
Title: Imaging and controlling engineered immune cell biology with an orthogonal protein tag
Mark Sellmyer (University of Pennsylvania)
Title: Molecular-genetic imaging of synthetic receptor cancer immunotherapies
John Ronald (Western University, Canada)
Title: Bioengineering synthetic biomarkers for earlier cancer detection
Gabe Kwong (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Title: Engineering bacteria as living cancer drug delivery systems
Tetsuhiro Harimoto (Harvard University)
Title: Synthetic biology for next-generation therapeutics
Tim Lu (MIT)
Session 3 Panel Discussion (Chaired by Mark Sellmyer, U Penn)
Session 4: Translational Potential and Clinical Needs: Opportunities and Challenges
Chair: Anna Wu; NIH Moderator: Charles Lin (NCI)
Title: Engineered antibodies for imaging in oncology and immunology: From preclinical models to patients
Anna Wu (City of Hope)
Title: Antigen-dependent inducible T-cell reporter system for PET imaging of breast cancer and glioblastoma
David Wilson (UC San Francisco)
Title: Evolution of reporter tools for molecular imaging: from bench to bed
Vladimir Ponomarev (MSKCC)
Title: Strategies to augment imaging features by circulating tumor DNA assessment
Laura Van‘t Veer (UC San Francisco)
Title: Translation of [18F]4FN, a redox-tuned radiopharmaceutical for PET imaging of innate immunity activation
David Piwnica-Worms (MD Anderson Cancer Center)
Session 4 Panel Discussion (Chaired by Anna Wu, City of Hope)
Session 5: NCI Resources and Funding Opportunities
Chiayeng Wang and Kelly Crotty (NCI)
Workshop Organizers
Mikhail Shapiro (Co-Lead; Caltech)
Charles Lin (Co-Lead; Cancer Imaging Program, DCTD, NCI)
Chiayeng Wang (Cancer Imaging Program, DCTD, NCI)
Kelly Crotty (CSSI/OD, NCI)
Jerry Li (BBCSB/DCB, NCI)
Yisong Wang (MIB/CIP/DCTD, NCI)
Tatjana Atanasijevic (DAST, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering)
Contact
Charles Lin, Ph.D., Molecular Imaging Branch, Cancer Imaging Program (p.lin@nih.gov)