A Message from the CCNE Team

We will never be able to fill the tremendous void left by Sam’s untimely departure from this world. He was an inspiring leader, a brilliant physician scientist, a caring person. He has accomplished so much in so many different fields. He lived like a candle which burns itself and gives light to others, and his light illuminated thousands around the world. His words continue to inspire many of us. Sam, we miss you dearly.

Jianghong Rao, PhD

We will not meet another visionary leader who works and dedicates his life to science like Sam in our lifetimes. But, we will continue his work, even just a fraction of it, and we promise our work will honor his memory. Indeed, Dr. Gambhir’s legacy will live on forever.

Shan X. Wang, PhD

I struggle to find words to describe the immensity of the void left by the untimely passing of Dr. Sam Gambhir from the scientific and medical perspectives to losing a compassionate, kind human being and a relentless fighter for the betterment of human health. With your many achievements, numerous exceptional  trainees and everyone you have touched as a physician and a colleague, you have made this world a better place. We are sad not having you physically with us now but undeterred from the early detection mission you have set for us all. May your soul rest in peace Sam.

Demir Akin, DVM, PhD

The Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence for Translational Diagnostics (CCNE-TD), which forms the third cycle CCNE Program at Stanford University, is a consortium that has three highly synchronized Projects and three Cores. Since its initial funding in May 2006, our CCNE program has matured substantially into a strong multidisciplinary program with expertise and infrastructure to support the growing field of cancer nanomedicine. Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD (PI/PD) is the Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Stanford and is an expert in Molecular Imaging, Radiology and Bioengineering. Dr. Shan X. Wang, (co-PI) is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering as well as Electrical engineering at Stanford. He has spent the major portion of his career focused on magneto nanobio-sensing. Dr. Demir Akin, DVM, PhD (Deputy Director), is an interdisciplinary scientist and a well-known Nanomedicine expert has been the Deputy Director of the Stanford CCNE Program and he continues with this responsibility in the CCNE-TD Program. Together, Drs. Gambhir, Wang and Akin provide an enormous breadth of experience ranging from fundamental nanoscience and engineering, to pre-clinical imaging, and on to translation to clinical applications of molecular imaging and cancer nanodiagnostics. The Center is composed of a highly interdisciplinary team of scientists whose expertise areas are highly synergistic and have a long collaboration history that extends to the first cycle of the NCI’s CCNE Program. Defining it broadly, the CCNE-TD will develop and clinically translate cancer diagnostics and imaging technologies. More specifically, it has two scientific thematic focus areas: i) predicting and monitoring cancer therapy response in lung cancer and ii) merging of nano-based in vitro and in vivo diagnostics strategies as well as nano-based imaging for earlier cancer detection and prognostication for prostate cancer.