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Scientist Profile

Nicholas van Bruggen

Director, Staff Scientist (Technology): Biomedical Imaging
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"Genentech provides a stimulating and collaborative environment by promoting an interdisciplinary approach to science."
 

I joined Genentech in 1995 to set up a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility dedicated to experimental research. Since the inception of the MRI facility, it has grown to include a range of biomedical imaging modalities in addition to MRI, including MicroCT and imaging techniques using fluorescence probes. Our mission is to help realize the therapeutic potential of our scientific discoveries.

I was attracted to Genentech, in part, because of its progressive philosophy to drug discovery. Combining state-of-the-art technology with innovative biology represented a unique opportunity to develop and apply novel in vivo imaging techniques to enhance preclinical research.

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My Focus

The Biomedical Imaging Group is involved in a number of collaborative projects central to Genentech's discovery research program. In vivo imaging techniques are used in many late-stage research projects in the areas of oncology, immunology and vascular biology. The majority of our research efforts are focused on gaining an understanding of in vivo physiology and drug action from a knowledge of the biophysics of the biological process.

For example, we are developing ways to assess tissue perfusion and blood vessel morphology in order to evaluate the potential for VEGF and other growth factors as part of our therapeutic angiogenesis initiative. This is achieved using a number of approaches, including functional MRI imaging techniques to measure skeletal muscle metabolism and blood flow as well as angiographic techniques to demonstrate large vessel blood velocity.

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Publications & Recognition
  • Quantifying antivascular effects of monoclonal antibodies to vascular endothelial growth factor: insights from imaging.
  • Clin Cancer Res 2009 Nov 1; 15(21): 6674-82.
  • O'Connor JP, Carano RA, Clamp AR, Ross J, Ho CC, Jackson A, Parker GJ, Rose CJ, Peale FV, Friesenhahn M, Mitchell CL, Watson Y, Roberts C, Hope L, Cheung S, Reslan HB, Go MA, Pacheco GJ, Wu X, Cao TC, Ross S, Buonaccorsi GA, Davies K, Hasan J, Thornton P, del Puerto O, Ferrara N, van Bruggen N, Jayson GC.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • PET of glial metabolism using 2-18F-fluoroacetate.
  • J Nucl Med 2009 Jun; 50(6): 982-90.
  • Marik J, Ogasawara A, Martin-McNulty B, Ross J, Flores JE, Gill HS, Tinianow JN, Vanderbilt AN, Nishimura M, Peale F, Pastuskovas C, Greve JM, van Bruggen N, Williams SP.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Preclinical evaluation of carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM) 6 as potential therapy target for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
  • J Pathol 2009 Jul; 218(3): 380-90.
  • Strickland LA, Ross J, Williams S, Ross S, Romero M, Spencer S, Erickson R, Sutcliffe J, Verbeke C, Polakis P, van Bruggen N, Koeppen H.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
 
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  • Imperial Cancer Research Fund, United Kingdom
  • Research Fellow
  • 1987-1991
  • University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • Department of Chemistry, Ph.D.
  • 1984-1987
  • University of London, United Kingdom, University College London
  • Medicinal Chemistry, B.S.
  • 1981-1984
Publications & Recognition
  • Quantifying antivascular effects of monoclonal antibodies to vascular endothelial growth factor: insights from imaging.
  • Clin Cancer Res 2009 Nov 1; 15(21): 6674-82.
  • O'Connor JP, Carano RA, Clamp AR, Ross J, Ho CC, Jackson A, Parker GJ, Rose CJ, Peale FV, Friesenhahn M, Mitchell CL, Watson Y, Roberts C, Hope L, Cheung S, Reslan HB, Go MA, Pacheco GJ, Wu X, Cao TC, Ross S, Buonaccorsi GA, Davies K, Hasan J, Thornton P, del Puerto O, Ferrara N, van Bruggen N, Jayson GC.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • PET of glial metabolism using 2-18F-fluoroacetate.
  • J Nucl Med 2009 Jun; 50(6): 982-90.
  • Marik J, Ogasawara A, Martin-McNulty B, Ross J, Flores JE, Gill HS, Tinianow JN, Vanderbilt AN, Nishimura M, Peale F, Pastuskovas C, Greve JM, van Bruggen N, Williams SP.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Preclinical evaluation of carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM) 6 as potential therapy target for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
  • J Pathol 2009 Jul; 218(3): 380-90.
  • Strickland LA, Ross J, Williams S, Ross S, Romero M, Spencer S, Erickson R, Sutcliffe J, Verbeke C, Polakis P, van Bruggen N, Koeppen H.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Reactive hyperemia and BOLD MRI demonstrate that VEGF inhibition, age, and atherosclerosis adversely affect functional recovery in a murine model of peripheral artery disease.
  • J Magn Reson Imaging 2008 Oct; 28(4): 996-1004.
  • Greve JM, Williams SP, Bernstein LJ, Goldman H, Peale FV Jr, Bunting S, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Molecular imaging in drug development.
  • Nat Rev Drug Discov 2008 Jul; 7(7): 591-607.
  • Willmann JK, van Bruggen N, Dinkelborg LM, Gambhir SS.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Quantification of viable tumor microvascular characteristics by multispectral analysis.
  • Magn Reson Med 2008 Jul; 60(1): 64-72.
  • Berry LR, Barck KH, Go MA, Ross J, Wu X, Williams SP, Gogineni A, Cole MJ, Van Bruggen N, Fuh G, Peale F, Ferrara N, Ross S, Schwall RH, Carano RA.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Bv8 regulates myeloid-cell-dependent tumour angiogenesis.
  • Nature 2007 Dec 6; 450(7171): 825-31.
  • Shojaei F, Wu X, Zhong C, Yu L, Liang XH, Yao J, Blanchard D, Bais C, Peale FV, van Bruggen N, Ho C, Ross J, Tan M, Carano RA, Meng YG, Ferrara N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Blocking vascular endothelial growth factor-A inhibits the growth of pituitary adenomas and lowers serum prolactin level in a mouse model of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.
  • Clin Cancer Res 2008 Jan 1; 14(1): 249-58.
  • Korsisaari N, Ross J, Wu X, Kowanetz M, Pal N, Hall L, Eastham-Anderson J, Forrest WF, Van Bruggen N, Peale FV, Ferrara N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Magnetic resonance angiography reveals therapeutic enlargement of collateral vessels induced by VEGF in a murine model of peripheral arterial disease.
  • J Magn Reson Imaging 2006 Nov; 24(5): 1124-32.
  • Greve JM, Chico TJ, Goldman H, Bunting S, Peale FV Jr, Daugherty A, van Bruggen N, Williams SP.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Quantification of tumor tissue populations by multispectral analysis.
  • Magn Reson Med 2004 Mar; 51(3): 542-51.
  • Carano RA, Ross AL, Ross J, Williams SP, Koeppen H, Schwall RH, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Biomedical Imaging in Experimental Neuroscience.
  • CRC Press 2002 Dec. (Frontiers in Neuroscience Volume: 18)
  • van Bruggen N and Roberts TPL, editors.
  • Vascular endothelial growth factor stimulates bone repair by promoting angiogenesis and bone turnover.
  • Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002 Jul 23; 99(15): 9656-61.
  • Street J, Bao M, deGuzman L, Bunting S, Peale FV Jr, Ferrara N, Steinmetz H, Hoeffel J, Cleland JL, Daugherty A, van Bruggen N, Redmond HP, Carano RA, Filvaroff EH.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Dobutamine stress cine-MRI of cardiac function in the hearts of adult cardiomyocyte-specific VEGF knockout mice.
  • J Magn Reson Imaging 2001 Oct; 14(4): 374-82.
  • Williams SP, Gerber HP, Giordano FJ, Peale FV Jr, Bernstein LJ, Bunting S, Chien KR, Ferrara N, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Secondary reduction in the apparent diffusion coefficient of water, increase in cerebral blood volume, and delayed neuronal death after middle cerebral artery occlusion and early reperfusion in the rat.
  • J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1999 Dec; 19(12): 1354-64.
  • van Lookeren Campagne M, Thomas GR, Thibodeaux H, Palmer JT, Williams SP, Lowe DG, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • VEGF antagonism reduces edema formation and tissue damage after ischemia/reperfusion injury in the mouse brain.
  • J Clin Invest 1999 Dec; 104(11): 1613-20.
  • van Bruggen N, Thibodeaux H, Palmer JT, Lee WP, Fu L, Cairns B, Tumas D, Gerlai R, Williams SP, van Lookeren Campagne M, Ferrara N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • High-resolution mapping of discrete representational areas in rat somatosensory cortex using blood volume-dependent functional MRI.
  • Neuroimage 1999 Apr; 9(4): 383-92.
  • Palmer JT, de Crespigny AJ, Williams S, Busch E, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • High-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging of the rat brain: mapping changes in cerebral blood volume using iron oxide contrast media.
  • J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1998 Nov; 18(11): 1178-83.
  • van Bruggen N, Busch E, Palmer JT, Williams SP, de Crespigny AJ.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Magnetic resonance imaging detects suppression of tumor vascular permeability after administration of antibody to vascular endothelial growth factor.
  • Cancer Invest 1998; 16(4): 225-30.
  • Pham CD, Roberts TP, van Bruggen N, Melnyk O, Mann J, Ferrara N, Cohen RL, Brasch RC.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Assessing tumor angiogenesis using macromolecular MR imaging contrast media.
  • J Magn Reson Imaging 1997 Jan-Feb; 7(1): 68-74.
  • Brasch R, Pham C, Shames D, Roberts T, van Dijke K, van Bruggen N, Mann J, Ostrowitzki S, Melnyk O.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • q-Space imaging of the brain.
  • Magn Reson Med 1994 Dec; 32(6): 707-13.
  • King MD, Houseman J, Roussel SA, van Bruggen N, Williams SR, Gadian DG.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • The application of magnetic resonance imaging to the study of experimental cerebral ischaemia.
  • Cerebrovasc Brain Metab Rev 1994 Summer; 6(2): 180-210.
  • van Bruggen N, Roberts TP, Cremer JE.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Magnetic resonance imaging of propagating waves of spreading depression in the anaesthetised rat.
  • J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1994 Jan; 14(1): 7-11.
  • Gardner-Medwin AR, van Bruggen N, Williams SR, Ahier RG.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Applications of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion-weighted imaging to the study of brain biochemistry and pathology.
  • Trends Neurosci 1993 Mar; 16(3): 88-95.
  • Kauppinen RA, Williams SR, Busza AL, van Bruggen N.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Perfusion and diffusion MR imaging.
  • Magn Reson Med 1992 Apr; 24(2): 288-301.
  • King MD, van Bruggen N, Busza AL, Houseman J, Williams SR, Gadian DG.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • T2- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of a focal ischemic lesion in rat brain.
  • Stroke 1992 Apr; 23(4): 576-82.
  • van Bruggen N, Cullen BM, King MD, Doran M, Williams SR, Gadian DG, Cremer JE.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Cell and tissue responses of a murine tumour to phthalocyanine-mediated photodynamic therapy.
  • Eur J Cancer 1992; 28(1): 42-6.
  • van Bruggen N, Chan WS, Syha J, Marshall JF, Proctor E, Williams SR, Gadian DG, Hart IR.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
  • Normal and abnormal white matter tracts shown by MR imaging using directional diffusion weighted sequences.
  • J Comput Assist Tomogr 1990 Nov-Dec; 14(6): 865-73.
  • Doran M, Hajnal JV, Van Bruggen N, King MD, Young IR, Bydder GM.
  • View Abstract on PubMed
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Awards & Honors
  • Imperial Cancer Research Fund
  • The Royal Society
  • The British Council
  • The Harold Bridges Trust
  • The Maxime Hanss Foundations
  • The Medical Research Council of Great Britain
  • The Wellcome Trust
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Ellen Filvaroff, Senior Scientist and Alex Avardo, Receipent of Free Medicine From the Genentech® Access to Care Foundation, on the cover of Genentech's 2006 Annual Report.