For Kiran K. Solingapuram Sai, PhD, the loss of his grandmother to rapidly progressing dementia sparked a commitment to molecular and translational imaging. Today, that experience drives his work to detect disease earlier and help families get answers sooner.
As a radiology and molecular imaging researcher, Dr. Sai develops positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers and advances promising agents from preclinical studies into human research. His work focuses primarily on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, with applications in cancer and precision medicine.
"Every tracer we advance is one step closer to catching disease earlier," he said, describing the motivation that guides his work.
Detecting Disease Before Symptoms Begin
Dr. Sai's team developed the world's first brain-penetrant microtubule PET ligand, designed to reveal changes associated with neurodegenerative disease before cognitive symptoms appear. Because Alzheimer's disease is often diagnosed only after significant damage, detecting earlier molecular changes could support earlier intervention, better treatment planning and more opportunities to preserve quality of life.
"We are developing tools to really listen to the brain and understand what is happening inside before symptoms come into the picture," he explained.
His team is also developing PET tracers to better understand how GPR39 receptor-targeting medications act throughout the body and brain.
Imaging Beyond Diagnosis
Dr. Sai sees molecular imaging as more than a diagnostic tool. PET allows researchers and clinicians to visualize biological processes in real time, helping match patients with therapies and clinical trials and demonstrating whether a treatment is working sooner.
In Alzheimer's research, PET can show whether interventions are reducing amyloid and tau in the brain. In cancer care, it can reveal whether a tumor has the characteristics needed to respond to a targeted therapy, potentially sparing patients from ineffective treatment.
"Not every patient responds the same way," Dr. Sai said. "The ability to identify the right patient for the right treatment early on is incredibly important."
CTSI: The Backbone of Translation
Dr. Sai has relied extensively on the Wake Forest CTSI, especially its Translational Imaging Program (TIP), to move discoveries from concept to clinical application."The Translational Imaging Program has been the backbone of my research," he said. "From infrastructure to regulatory support, it has been central to everything we do."
CTSI provides cyclotron and radiochemistry facilities, scanners and specialized expertise, along with support for participant recruitment, protocol development, clinical trial coordination, biostatistics, omics analysis, market analysis and grant writing.
The CTSI’s support has enabled both dementia imaging studies and pioneering research tracking nicotine from cigarettes and vaping devices throughout the body. Findings from the nicotine study contributed evidence to regulatory discussions and the CTSI assisted with regulatory guidance, recruitment and market analysis.
“If you have a good idea, the CTSI helps make it a real study,” he said. “I’m a living example of that!”
Building the Future of Translational Imaging
As Director of the CTSI Translational Imaging Program and Chief of the Division of Research and Clinical Translation in Imaging, Dr. Sai is working to expand access to advanced imaging technologies and expertise across Advocate Health and Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
He aims to expand imaging infrastructure across the enterprise, replicate successful research programs at multiple locations, and help investigators apply advanced technologies to important clinical questions. He expects PET/CT, molecular imaging, radiochemistry, and theranostics, which pair diagnosis and treatment through the same molecular target, to reshape patient care.
Yet the goal remains straightforward: improving life for patients and families. By detecting Alzheimer's disease earlier, personalizing treatment and advancing public health research, Dr. Sai hopes to give future families options that were unavailable to his own.
With CTSI's infrastructure, expertise and collaborative network, discoveries like these are moving from bench to bedside with the potential to improve patient outcomes. Researchers ready to advance their own work can learn more about CTSI’s services and connect with the expertise and resources their project needs.