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Ethel Joso Ngen

Ethel Joso Ngen, PhD

Highlights

Languages

  • English

Gender

Female

Johns Hopkins Affiliations:

  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

About Ethel Joso Ngen

Primary Academic Title

Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science

Background

Dr. Ethel Joso Ngen is an Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship in cellular and molecular imaging at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science. 

Prior to this, she received her Ph.D. in organic (medicinal) chemistry from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at South Dakota State University. Her doctoral research focused on the development and evaluation of targeted drug delivery systems to enhance therapeutic indices in photodynamic therapy. Dr. Ngen also holds a Master of Science (Honors) in inorganic chemistry and a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in general chemistry with a minor in material science technology.

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

Additional Academic Titles

Assistant Professor of Oncology

Research Interests

Molecular and cellular imaging; noninvasive imaging biomarkers; noninvasive molecular and cellular imaging biosensors; image-guided drug and nanoparticle delivery; theranostic and nanotheranostic biomaterials; image-guided stem cell therapies; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine

Lab Website

Responsive Imaging BioSensors & BioEngineering (RISE) - Lab Website

Selected Publications

  • Ngen EJ, Wang L, Kato L, Krishnamarchary B, Zhu W, Gandhi N, Smith B, Armour M, Wong J, Gabrielson K, Artemov D. Imaging transplanted stem cells in real time using an MRI dual contrast method. Sci. Rep., 2015, 5:13628

  • Ngen EJ, Wang L, Gandhi N, Kato Y, Armour M, Wong J, Gabrielson K, Artemov D. A preclinical murine model for the early detection of radiation-induced brain injury using magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral tests for learning and memory with applications for the evaluation of possible stem cell imaging agents and therapies. J. Neuro-Oncol., 2016, 128(2):225-33

  • Ngen EJ, Bar-Shir A, Jablonska A, Lui G, Song X, Ansari R, Bulte JWM, Janowski M, Pearl E, Walczak P, Gilad AA. Imaging the DNA alkylator melphalan by CEST MRI: An advanced approach to theranostics. Mol. Pharm., 2016, 13(9):3043-53

  • Ngen EJ, Chen Y, Azad BB, Bionapally S, Jacob D, Lisok A, Shen C, Hossain MS, Jin J, Bhujwalla ZM, Pomper MG, Banerjee SR. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted photodynamic therapy enhances the delivery of PSMA-targeted magnetic nanoparticles to PSMA-expressing prostate tumors. Nanotheranostics. 2021, 5(2):182-196

  • Teitz M, Velarde E, Yang X,  Lee S, Lecksell K, Terrillion C, Bibic A, Ngen EJ. Developing magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers of neuroinflammation, cognitive impairment, and survival outcomes for radiotherapy-induced brain injury in a preclinical mouse model. Invest. Radiol. 2025

 

Honors

  • Outstanding Radiology Junior Faculty Research Award, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science
  • ICRR Early Career Investigator Travel Award, Radiation Research Society (RRS)
  • RRS Early Career Investigator Travel Award, Radiation Research Society (RRS)
  • NASDC Travel Award, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC)
  • NASDC Leadership and Mentorship Scholarship Award, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC)
  • NASDC Cell and Gene Therapy Junior Faculty Scholarship Award, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC)
  • NASDC Translational Research Junior Faculty Immuno-Oncology Scholarship Award, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC)
  • NASDC Leadership, Mentorship and Health Disparities Scholarship Award, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Awardee Skills Development Consortium (NASDC)
  • OWISM Early Career Women's Leadership Program, Johns Hopkins University school of Medicine, Office of Women in Science and Medicine (OWISM)
  • ABTA Basic Research Fellowship, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
  • ISMRM Summa Cum Laude Merit Award, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
  • ISMRM Trainee Travel Award, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
  • BCAAP Graduate Research Assistantship, Biological Control and Analysis by Applied Photonics Center (BCAAP)
  • SDSU Graduate Student Travel Award, South Dakota State University (SDSU)
  • AAPS Graduate Student Research Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) SDSU Chapter
  • Sigma Xi Graduate Student Grant Award, Sigma Xi SDSU Chapter
  • Graduate Teaching & Research Assistantship, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, SDSU

Lectures & Presentations

  • Biologically responsive MRI contrast agents to monitor therapeutic interventions in oncology and regenerative medicine, Invited Presentation, 2020 Frontiers of Biomedical Imaging, Vanderbilt University, Institute of Imaging Science
  • Developing image-guided strategies to minimize cancer therapy-induced injuries, Invited Presentation, 2021 MSKCC Imaging Sciences Seminar Series, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Department of Radiology
  • Developing theranostic strategies to minimize cancer therapy-induced injuries, Invited Presentation, 2022 Seminar Series, University of Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Buffalo, NY
  • Image-guided therapies for cancer therapy-induced brain injuries, Invited Presentation, 2021 Physics Academic Forum, JHMI, Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Science
  • Monitoring Engineered Cells for Theranostics SyBRG Spotlight Session, Invited Spotlight Presentation, 2021 World Molecular Imaging Conference (WMIC), World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS)
  • The role of contrast media in predicting outcomes in the engineering of PC lesions for enhanced nanoparticle delivery, Invited Presentation, 2022 Contrast Media Research Symposium, World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS), Annapolis, MD

Memberships

  • World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS)
  • International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
  • American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
  • American Brain Tumor Association Alumni Research Network (AARN)
  • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
  • American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Radiation Research Society (RRS)

Professional Activities

  • 2024 AARN Program Committee Co-Chair, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
  • 2024 - 2028 Radiation Therapeutics and Biology Study Section Standing Member, National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • 2024 - 2025 WMIS Education Committee Member, World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS).
  • JHMI Radiology BriteStar Grant Review Committee Standing Member, JHMI Department of Radiology & Radiological Science.
  • 2022-2024 AARN Program Committee Member, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
  • Emerging Imaging Technologies in Neuroscience (EITN) Study Section Ad hoc Member, National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • RTB Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (RTB SBIR/STTR) Study Section Ad hoc Member, NIH.
  • 2022 Pharmaceutics Co-Editor, Special Issue on Nanoparticle Delivery.
  • Topics Advisory Editorial Board Member, Pharmaceutics.
  • 2021 WMIC Bioengineering, Synthetic Biology and New Biology Abstract Category Co-Chair, World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS).
  • 2020 WMIC New Chemistry, Biology and Bioengineering Abstract Category Co-chair, World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS).
  • 2018 - 2021 WMIC Program Committee Member, World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS).
  • 2009 - 2011 Young Chemist in Cancer Research Committee Member, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

Additional Training

  • Research Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences (2017)

Expertise

Education

South Dakota State University

Ph.D., 2010