Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a Project Grant of $640,597 to the University of California, Los Angeles, effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2031, under the Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research program (CFDA 93.394). The research program develops and validates amine chemical exchange saturation transfer echo-planar imaging (CEST-EPI), a pH-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging technique designed to enable high-resolution visualization of metabolically active glioblastoma (GBM) tumor regions through detection of extracellular acidosis in both contrast-enhancing and non-enhancing infiltrative zones. The project delivers advanced diagnostic imaging capabilities that demonstrate enhanced sensitivity and specificity for detecting infiltrative tumor regions compared to conventional imaging modalities.

The grant supports a multidisciplinary research initiative that characterizes pH-regulatory mechanisms—including monocarboxylate transporters (MCT1/4), sodium-hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), and sodium-bicarbonate cotransporters (NBCs)—across varying pH microenvironments in GBM. Beyond imaging development, the research platform enables investigation of CEST-EPI-guided surgical resection targeting infiltrative tumor regions beyond conventional surgical margins and establishes a foundation for investigating novel therapeutic strategies through targeted inhibition of identified pH regulatory mechanisms. The work addresses a critical clinical need, as isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type (IDHWT) GBM remains resistant to current treatments with median patient survival rarely exceeding 24 months post-diagnosis.