# Intraoperative Molecular Imaging of Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinoma

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $70,146

## Abstract

Project Summary
Cancer continues to affect broad segments of the population, with over 600,000 deaths
expected from malignancies this year in the United States.[1] Complete surgical resection, as
compared to chemotherapy or radiation alone, offers nearly a nearly tenfold increase in the
likelihood of cure for most solid tumors. However, local and systemic recurrence affect 40% of
patients undergoing curative-intent resection, due to incomplete disease clearance and positive
margins at the index operation.[2] To aid in the completeness of cancer resection—and thus
improve patient survival—intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI) has been heralded as an
important new tool in surgical oncology. The technology uses fluorescent, tumor-targeted
tracers to identify positive margins and preoperatively unrecognized sites of disease. IMI has
been applied to thoracic tumors in recent years.[3] However, there is a major unmet need in
pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma, which is the second-most common lung cancer subtype
and has a particularly low 5 year survival rate at 17.6%.[4]
This is a translational proposal with the primary goal of developing and optimizing an optical
molecular imaging probe for SCC. We aim to synthesize an EGFR-targeted near infrared (NIR)
tracer that is specific to SCC and is biocompatible, using methods established in our lab and by
close collaborators. The tracer will first be evaluated in vitro for: 1) receptor binding affinity, 2)
nonspecific binding (competitive with excess unlabeled ligand), 3), water solubility, 4) serum
protein binding, and 5) photo- and chemical stability. Targeted NIR dye conjugates that perform
well in these in vitro analyses will be further evaluated in vivo for: 1) tumor specificity, 2) non-
GMP toxicity, 3) biostability, and 4) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Following tracer
testing, safety and efficacy studies will be performed in a murine model of resection cavity
mapping to optimize the timing and dose of the agent.
Ultimately, this work will set the stage for human trials of this technology in pulmonary
squamous cell carcinoma. We hope that the combined development of innovative contrast
agents coupled with advanced intraoperative instrumentation will make a major impact in
reducing the local and regional recurrence rates of squamous cell lung cancer after surgery. As
a secondary aim, this research will serve as a training platform for the applicant towards
competency in tumor biology, tracer design, mammalian cell techniques, and murine
experiments, as well as provide the applicant with mentoring towards the goal of becoming an
independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10068506
- **Project number:** 1F32CA254210-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** GREGORY T KENNEDY
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $70,146
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-14 → 2022-07-13

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10068506

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10068506, Intraoperative Molecular Imaging of Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinoma (1F32CA254210-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10068506. Licensed CC0.

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