Dr. J. Manuel Perez, Ph.D.

Dr Perez manages projects in areas related to radiopharmaceuticals, radiosensitizers, chemoradiotherapy, targeted radiotherapy, image guided radiation therapy, and nanotechnology, among others. He contributes to the program by giving advice in nanotechnology, molecular imaging, bioconjugation chemistry, biochemistry, and image-guided radiotherapy. In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities managing assigned grants and advising investigators in their submission of current and future grant applications, Dr Perez manages the Brain Metastases & Glioblastoma Interest Group. The group facilitates translational research toward the development of clinical trials that incorporate radiation sciences for cancer patients with brain metastases and glioblastoma. Dr. Perez also advises on CTEP reviews and develops webinars and workshops on unique opportunities for collaborative research among investigators on various aspects of cancer treatment. This involves radiation, image-guidance, nanotechnology, radioprotection agents, and radiosensitizing agents. He also collaborates with other programs within NCI, NIH, and NASA.

Dr. Perez received his PhD in Chemistry at Boston University and post-doctoral training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Before joining NCI, Dr Perez was tenured professor at the University of Central Florida and Cedar Sinai Medical Center. Dr Perez has over 25 years of academic experience in the fields of bio-organic chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, nanotechnology, peptide chemistry, bioconjugation, and molecular imaging.  He managed multiple laboratories composed of multidisciplinary teams of postdocs, graduate students, and technicians. Dr Perez has over 50 peer-reviewed publications, with an h-index of 47. His total citation number is 12639 in Google Scholar as of 2025. His research interest and expertise includes the development of molecular imaging and therapeutic agents, antioxidant and radiosensitizing nanoagents, nanosensors, and intraoperative procedures for imaging and treating cancer. His work was supported by multiple NIH and industry-sponsored grants.

Selected Publications

• Reichel D., Sagong B., Teh J., Zhang Y., Wagner S., Wang H., Chung LWK., Butte P., Black KL., Yu J., Perez JM. Near Infrared Fluorescent Nanoplatform for Targeted Intraoperative Resection and Chemotherapeutic Treatment of Glioblastoma. ACS Nano 2020, 14, 8392-8408
• Reichel, D., Tripathi, M., Perez, J. M., Biological Effects of Nanoparticles on Macrophage Polarization in the Tumor Microenvironment. Nanotheranostics. 2019; 3(1): 66-88.
• Likun Yang, Gobalakrishnan Sundaresan, Minghao Sun, Purnima Jose, David Hoffman, Philip Reed McDonagh, Narottam Lamichhane, Cathy S. Cutler, J. Manuel Perez and Jamal Zweit, Intrinsically radiolabeled multifunctional cerium oxide nanoparticles for in vivo studies, J. Mater Chem. B 2013, 1, 1421-1431
• Asati, A., Santra S., Kaittanis, C, Nath S. Perez, J.M. Oxidase-like activity of polymer-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles, Angew.Chem.Int.Ed. 2009, 48, 2308-2312.
• Rabin, O*., Perez, J.M*., Grimm, J., Wojtkiewicz, G., Weissleder, R. An X-ray computed tomography imaging agent based on long-circulating bismuth sulphide nanoparticles, Nature Mat. 2006, 5, 118-122.

Additional Links to Scientific Publications

View J. Manuel Perez on Google Scholar.

Education

• Post-Doctoral Training/ MGH, Harvard Medical School/ Boston, MA
• Ph.D., Chemistry/Boston University/Boston, MA
• M.S.. Chemistry/University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR
• B.S., Chemistry/University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR