Advanced brain tumor imaging support for glioblastoma
Core 2: Neuro-Imaging Core (NIC)
Using advanced MRI and PET scans to get clearer pictures of glioblastoma for patients receiving novel treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This core offers specialized MRI and PET scans to help tell how glioblastoma tumors change during new therapies like immunotherapy or drugs that affect blood vessels and metabolism. It supports both lab-based (preclinical) imaging and clinical scans for patients in trials, and provides expert image processing and analysis. The team standardizes scanning methods and provides detailed radiographic response interpretations to help trial investigators. If you join a UCLA brain-cancer trial, your scans could use these advanced techniques to guide care and research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with glioblastoma who are enrolled in or eligible for UCLA-affiliated clinical trials that include advanced MRI or PET imaging, and who can travel to UCLA for scans, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who are not enrolled in those trials, cannot travel to UCLA, or cannot undergo MRI/PET (for example due to certain implants, severe claustrophobia, or pregnancy) may not benefit from this core.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Improved imaging could help doctors distinguish true tumor growth from treatment-related changes and lead to better treatment decisions for glioblastoma patients.
How similar studies have performed: Similar advanced MRI and PET techniques have shown promise in distinguishing tumor progression from treatment effects in glioblastoma, though some applications remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ellingson, Benjamin M. — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Ellingson, Benjamin M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.