Since 2005, our Seed Grant Program has fostered an environment for research to bloom. As we mark 20 years since our first cohort of grantees, it is more exciting than ever to look back and see all that is being accomplished.
Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA, is a global leader in oncologic nuclear medicine with a career dedicated to advancing theranostics, an innovative field that combines diagnostics with targeted therapies.
Dr. Herrmann completed his residency in nuclear medicine at TU Munich, where he focused on PET imaging in oncology. He then completed a fellowship at Hokkaido University and earned an executive MBA from the University of Zürich. In 2015, as an Associate Professor in the Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, he was awarded a Seed Grant that helped create the theranostic program at UCLA. Dr. Herrmann’s Seed Grant helped advance his career and laid the foundation for UCLA’s theranostic program, which is now recognized as one of the world’s leading centers for research and clinical application.
Theranostics is a fusion of therapeutics and diagnostics, representing a precision medicine approach that combines targeted diagnostic imaging with precise therapeutic interventions. This often involves using radiopharmaceuticals designed to identify and treat cancer cells. For example, a radioactive compound that detects cancer cells via positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques is used. Subsequently, a therapeutic radioactive agent targets and destroys these identified cancer cells. This method allows for precise treatment delivery, minimizing damage to healthy tissues and enhancing treatment efficacy.
Currently, Dr. Herrmann serves as Chair of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Universitätsklinikum Essen in Germany, leading groundbreaking research and clinical applications. His influence extends across the field as a past Chair of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Oncology & Theranostics Committee and as a Section Editor for the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. He is actively involved in European Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) grants, securing over €25 million ($27 million) in funding. These projects aim to foster national and international alliances in pancreatic cancer research, with the goal of curing metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Herrmann’s pioneering work in theranostics has significantly influenced research and clinical practices, offering hope for more effective and personalized treatments for patients with challenging cancers, such as metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Herrmann envisions establishing a theranostic approach for treating metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs), integrating diagnostics and therapeutics to enhance patient outcomes.
Thanks to your support, we’ve been planting seeds of hope through our Seed Grant Program for 20 years. It’s a delight to watch research grow from the lab to the clinic and bloom into clinical trials and new treatment options.
Help us continue to sow seeds of hope for a cancer-free future, donate today.