Mary Cole Scientist: Biomedical Imaging Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I joined Genentech in August 2002 to initiate efforts in in vivo optical imaging as part of the Biomedical Imaging group, headed by Nick van Bruggen. My prior training and professional experience was grounded in experimental physics and primarily focused on the development of novel fluorescence techniques that can be applied to interrogate biological systems in vitro. Joining Genentech offered me an opportunity to adapt and apply my training in an in vivo setting combined with the challenge of demonstrating that in vivo optical imaging techniques, such as fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging and intravital microscopy, can accelerate and enhance Genentech's drug discovery and development capabilities."

Current Projects "My lab is primarily accountable for developing and deploying new instrumentation and optical imaging approaches that can be leveraged to gain an improved understanding of the in vivo biological processes relevant to drug discovery. In particular, we aim to utilize these techniques to better understand the mechanisms associated with disease progression in vivo and to help us identify how potential therapeutic candidates work in the preclinical setting. The flexibility of optical imaging approaches means that they can be applied to a wide range of questions in numerous disease settings. Projects in my lab routinely involve collaboration with other groups and typically span several areas; current and recent examples include: imaging of drug delivery to tumors, combining imaging with RNA interference to evaluate disease signaling pathway activation in vivo, dissecting the temporal characteristics of aspects of disease progression in a model of rheumatoid arthritis, and imaging the involvement of stem cells in glioma progression."

Collaborations "Successful application of the techniques developed in my lab is reliant upon effective collaboration with many groups at Genentech. In the course of setting up a new imaging technique, it is imperative that we validate our findings, which almost always entails the support and collaboration of colleagues in other groups, such as pathology. Applying in vivo imaging techniques to better understand an aspect of disease or to evaluate a therapeutic candidate preclinically necessitates that we work very closely with discovery scientist colleagues so that we can pool our understanding of relevant biological processes and imaging approaches to address questions as efficiently as possible."

Inspiration/Vision "Genentech has always been a leader in bringing breakthrough medicines to patients. I find it inspiring to work at a company where each department understands their role in continuing this important mission. I find it particularly motivating to work in a research department with outstanding colleagues where innovation and multidisciplinary collaboration is valued as an integral part of a strategy that endeavors to continue this success and to benefit numerous patients."