UAB O’Neal Cancer Center research advances precision imaging through multi-color MRI technology
Researchers at the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center are advancing a groundbreaking approach to cancer imaging that could one day allow physicians to identify and distinguish different types of cancer cells during a routine MRI scan. The innovative technology, being developed by Jenny Yang, Ph.D., combines precision molecular targeting with protein engineering to create MRI contrast agents capable of revealing the unique biological makeup of tumors.
Yang, an associate scientist at the O’Neal Cancer Center and a professor in the UAB Department of Chemistry, has spent decades pioneering the development of protein-based imaging agents and biosensors. Internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of chemistry, molecular biology, and biomedical engineering, Yang’s research focuses on designing proteins that can safely and precisely detect disease-related biomarkers within the body.
Her latest work centers on biomarker-targeting protein MRI contrast agents for precision MRI (pMRI), a patented emerging technology that has the potential to fundamentally change how cancer is diagnosed and monitored over time.
Nation-wide research recognition
Yang’s research led her to be selected for the Torsten Almén Award for Pioneering Research in Contrast Media, presented by the Contrast Media Research symposium series. The award celebrates researchers whose work represents a significant and sustained contribution to the development of contrast media with the potential to advance the field of medical imaging.
The award committee recognized Yang for her pioneering preclinical and translational research aimed at developing novel gadolinium (Gd) and manganese (Mn) MRI contrast agents. In addition, Yang will deliver the Torsten Almén Lecture during the 2026 Contrast Media Research Symposium, November 1-4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The impact of Yang’s work continues to gain national recognition. Her latest collaborative study, “Early detection of invasive lung cancer and multiorgan metastasis by a collagen-targeted protein MRI contrast agent,” was published in Science Advances, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary scientific journals. Conducted in collaboration with Wei Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., of Emory University and Georgia State University, their research demonstrates the ability of a novel collagen-targeted protein MRI contrast agent to detect invasive lung cancer and identify metastatic disease in multiple organs in a single imaging examination.
Promising advancements in MRI screening
The study represents an important milestone in the development of next-generation molecular MRI technologies. By targeting collagen — a key component of the tumor microenvironment that changes as cancers become invasive and spread — this research demonstrates the potential for earlier detection of aggressive disease and more comprehensive assessment of cancer progression than conventional imaging methods. These findings further validate Yang’s protein engineering approach and underscore its promise for future clinical applications that could include detection of cancers and metastases in the liver, pancreas, lung, colon, prostate, and breast, as well as liver, lung, cardiac, and kidney fibrosis.
Traditional MRI provides highly detailed images of anatomy but reveals relatively little about the molecular characteristics of cancers. Yang’s laboratory is engineering protein-based contrast agents that selectively bind to biomarkers expressed on cancer cells. Once attached, these agents generate distinct MRI signals, allowing physicians to visualize not only the location of a tumor but also the different populations of cancer cells that exist within it.
One of the most exciting aspects of the technology is the development of multi-color molecular MRI, in which different targeted protein contrast agents generate unique imaging signatures. Instead of seeing a tumor as a single uniform mass, clinicians could potentially distinguish multiple cancer subtypes simultaneously, with each subtype represented by a different color or signal on the MRI image.
Collagen-targeted MRI enhances visualization of pulmonary tumors, with corresponding histology confirming tumor burden and distribution. (Courtesy: Yang Lab)
This ability to visualize tumor heterogeneity – or variations within the tumor cell population – could become an important advancement for precision oncology. Many tumors contain diverse populations of cancer cells, some of which respond to treatment while others develop resistance. Being able to identify these populations noninvasively could help physicians select therapies, monitor treatment effectiveness, and detect changes in tumors long before they become detectable through conventional imaging.
“Every patient’s cancer is biologically different,” Yang said. “Our goal is to give physicians the ability to see those molecular differences in real time without the need for repeated invasive biopsies. We envision MRI becoming a tool that not only shows where a tumor is located but also reveals the biology driving that cancer.”
Unlike many molecular imaging approaches that rely on radioactive tracers, Yang’s protein MRI contrast agents are designed for use with conventional MRI scanners already available in hospitals worldwide. The technology has the potential to provide comprehensive molecular information while allowing patients to undergo repeated imaging throughout treatment.
Decades of innovation leading to a translational breakthrough
Yang has dedicated much of her scientific career to designing novel protein technologies that improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Her laboratory has developed numerous protein engineering platforms, molecular imaging probes, and biomarker-targeting technologies, which have applications in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders.
Yang’s multidisciplinary expertise in chemistry, protein engineering, and molecular imaging, has enabled collaborations with scientists and clinicians across the country, helping bridge the gap between fundamental laboratory discoveries and clinical applications. At the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center, Yang works alongside physician-scientists to ensure that new imaging technologies are developed with real patient needs in mind.
Advancing toward FDA approval and human clinical trials
Yang’s research is now approaching one of its most significant milestones. Following extensive laboratory development and encouraging preclinical studies, her team is actively pursuing federal, foundation, and industry funding to support the regulatory studies required for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to begin first-in-human clinical trials.
Securing this funding will enable the additional safety testing, manufacturing optimization, and regulatory documentation necessary to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA. Approval of an IND would allow researchers to evaluate the safety and performance of the novel protein MRI contrast agents in patients for the first time.
“Reaching this stage reflects years of collaborative scientific discovery,” Yang said. “Our next objective is to secure the resources needed to complete the regulatory pathway and bring this technology into human clinical trials, where we can begin evaluating its potential to improve cancer diagnosis and patient care.”
If successful, the technology could become one of the first protein-based molecular MRI platforms capable of simultaneously identifying multiple cancer biomarkers in patients. Such an advance would represent a significant step toward truly personalized imaging, enabling physicians to visualize the biological complexity of each patient’s cancer and tailor treatment accordingly.
“This is exactly the type of transformational science the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center is committed to advancing,” said Barry Sleckman, M.D., director of the O’Neal Cancer Center. “Dr. Yang’s research brings together exceptional innovation in chemistry, molecular imaging, and cancer biology, with a clear focus on improving patient care. The opportunity to move this technology toward human clinical trials represents an exciting milestone with tremendous potential for precision oncology.”
Additional reading
Learn more about Yang’s research and experience can be found at the following links.
- Learn more about InLighta BioSciences at: https://www.inlighta.com/
- Learn more about Yang on her UAB Scholar’s Page: https://scholars.uab.edu/20156-jenny-yang. Additionally, read about her role at UAB at: https://www.uab.edu/research1b/presidential-faculty-support/jenny-j-yang
- Read her study online at: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adz6815