Richard Carano Senior Scientist: Biomedical Imaging Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I joined Genentech's Biomedical Imaging Group in 2000. My educational background is in biomedical and electrical engineering with a focus on medical imaging and image analysis. Prior to joining Genentech, I had worked in both academia and industry developing imaging methods to study disease and monitor therapy. I chose to come to Genentech because it offers the exciting opportunity to develop novel imaging methods in tandem with the development of novel therapeutics, where imaging can be used not only to assess the efficacy of the compound, but also to provide insight into the mode of action of the drug. Genentech provides the resources and the collaborative environment needed to tackle such tasks in an efficient and thorough manner. Since joining Genentech, my research efforts have been directed toward the development of micro-computed tomography, MRI, and ultrasound imaging techniques to quantify structural and physiological parameters. Our research efforts focus on developing the appropriate imaging and analysis methodologies that will best answer the biological question we are addressing."

Current Projects "The current research focus of our lab includes several areas. We have been developing a suite of imaging methods and analysis techniques to quantify tumor angiogenesis. These endpoints include micro-ct angiographic techniques to quantify vessel structures and dynamic imaging techniques (MRI and Ultrasound) for studying tumor permeability and perfusion. We also have been working on multispectral MRI methods to identify viable tumor tissue and quantify the pathophysiology of the viable tumor. These methods attempt to address the high degree of structural and physiological heterogeneity seen within solid tumors. Other areas of research include employing imaging to quantify bone loss in models of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation in models of multiple sclerosis."

Collaborations "Biomedical imaging research requires a strong interactive, collaborative environment, where scientists from many disciplines need to work together to identify the relevant biological questions and develop the required tools to answer those questions. Genentech's strong collaborative research environment is one of its greatest strengths as an organization. I'm continually amazed by how quickly and thoroughly research questions can be addressed and answered. We collaborate with many departments within Research, and as molecules move into clinical development, we have the opportunity to interact with clinical scientists to determine the utility of imaging in the clinical development program."

Inspiration/Vision "At the start of my career, I chose to study biomedical engineering because I wanted to merge my interest in technology and biology as a means to find solutions to medical problems. I have found medical imaging to be a fascinating and inspiring field because we push the limits of physics and engineering to create imaging diagnostics that address biological and health-related issues. However, an imaging diagnostic is most useful when there is an available treatment for the disease. At Genentech, I have been given the exciting opportunity to employ imaging as a tool in drug discovery. Since many of our pre-clinical imaging research techniques can be translated to the clinic, they have the potential to be employed as diagnostics during clinical trials for a new drug in a similar manner as they were used during the research phase of the drug's development. Working at Genentech has offered me the rewarding opportunity to not only contribute to the development of new imaging diagnostics, but also to contribute in the development of successful treatments for diseases."