Anna Sorace, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Radiology, has accepted the position of director of the Small Animal Imaging Facility in the Advanced Medical Imaging Research Division. She has previously demonstrated her leadership capabilities as co-director of the facility and has done a remarkable job in this capacity. In December, Sorace was named director.
The Small Animal Imaging Facility enables researchers to apply non-invasive, molecular imaging technologies in animal models. Imaging is accomplished with a range of imaging modalities, including gamma camera imaging, X-ray CT, microPET/CT, microSPECT/CT, bioluminescence, fluorescence, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and ultrasound imaging. The successful application of small animal imaging will contribute to advanced efforts in translating basic research to human clinical trials.
In 2009, Sorace obtained her undergraduate degree in biological engineering from Mississippi State University, and completed her graduate training in biomedical engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2013. She completed postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University in 2015. She holds a joint appointment as assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Her research interests include improving cancer patient care through translational advancements in cancer imaging. She has expertise in multimodality, non-invasive quantitative imaging to improve detection, monitoring and therapy of cancer in both preclinical animal models and clinical cancer research.
The overall goal of Sorace’s research is to identify imaging biomarkers for early response to neoadjuvant and adjuvant cancer treatment and utilize quantitative imaging to guide and improve drug delivery of current therapies in cancer.