Dr. Koutcher’s primary research interests are the applications of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging to enhance the therapeutic gain of different antineoplastic modalities. The laboratory program is diverse, with studies that range from cells and mice to patients. The laboratory supports a core facility providing high spatial resolution imaging of small animals (mice and rats) for detection, quantification, and evaluation of response of tumors. Spatial resolution on the new spectrometers is expected to be approximately 100u in each dimension.

The research program includes investigation of radiation sensitizers, antiangiogenesis agents, hypoxia, and molecular and cellular imaging. Research focused on enhancing radiation and chemotherapeutic response is typically done both in perfused cells and subsequently in vivo. It focuses on monitoring the biochemical effects induced by novel drugs and evaluating the effects of dose and time for optimization of drug–drug or drug–radiation interaction. Clinical studies are focused on obtaining diagnostic information (1H spectroscopy studies of prostate and brain), prognostic data, and evaluating response to standard and novel antineoplastic agents.