Chen Wang, Ph.D.

Research Overview

Kidney cancer accounts for 3.7% of all human cancers and has high rates of spreading and recurring. Among patients with localized disease, the incidence of kidney cell carcinoma cases have increased the most over the past three decades. Early and accurate detection of renal tumor cancer remains a significant challenge.

The most used surgical procedure to obtain renal tissue by biopsy is percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB). But providers face challenges with current PRB practices in recognizing precise tissue and avoiding renal hemorrhage. Over 14% of biopsies fail to provide adequate renal tissues for diagnosis due to needle misplacement. There is a critical need to develop new imaging tools to improve early detection of pre-invasive renal tumors during PRB.

We hope to develop a novel endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) platform based on two OCT imaging modes:

• Structural OCT imaging; and
• 3D Doppler OCT imaging

Structural OCT can help address the sampling error by recognizing renal and tumor structures, while the 3D Doppler OCT will address bleeding complications by visualizing the blood vessels at the needle tip.

My “Why”

During my undergraduate studies in optics and electronics, I attended many cancer treatment conferences. This experience opened my eyes to the critical role of health science and inspired me to contribute. Realizing the significant needs in cancer research, I saw an opportunity to apply my background in medical imaging. I pursued a doctorate degree at the University of Oklahoma and joined a biomedical imaging lab, aiming to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment through innovative imaging technologies.

Why Funding Matters

This funding supports our ongoing research to enhance imaging navigation during cancer biopsies, potentially improving patient health and reducing diagnostic costs. With this funding, we can make substantial contributions to the early detection of cancer and overall human health.