“Despite the widespread use of PET imaging, it suffers from several drawbacks that, if improved, would have a tremendous effect on implementation, interpretation and utilization of these signals and guide patient therapy,” says Robert Spitale, UCI associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, of his research project that garnered the three-year, $900,000 award. UCI

Robert Spitale, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, is one of five winners of 2019 Ono Pharma Breakthrough Science Initiative Awards, intended to accelerate high-risk and high-reward science research projects that could lead to discoveries, solutions and potential breakthrough treatments for patients. The award is for three years and provides $900,000 in direct funds for selected projects. Spitale’s is titled “Imaging and Genetically Characterizing Tumors With PET-Seq.” He will work to better understand the mechanics of positron emission tomography imaging. “PET imaging is routinely used by radiologists, oncologists and surgeons to guide treatment regimens or surgical resection,” Spitale said. “Despite the widespread use of PET imaging, it suffers from several drawbacks that, if improved, would have a tremendous effect on implementation, interpretation and utilization of these signals and guide patient therapy. About 2,500 PET scanners perform about 2 million scans per year; as such, the impact of our proposed studies could be very far-reaching.”