Pejman Ghanouni, MD, PHD, wins Lockhart Memorial Prize

October 14, 2020

Pejman Ghanouni, MD, PhD, assistant professor of radiology at Stanford University, was awarded the 2020 Andrew J. Lockhart Memorial Prize by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation.

The prize is awarded annually to investigators in recognition of their outstanding contributions in advancing cancer treatment using focused ultrasound and their potential for continued achievements in the field. Dr. Ghanouni has focused his work on developing techniques that could lead to more effective therapeutic interventions for hard-to-treat diseases. He established and leads Stanford’s Minimally Invasive MR Interventional Center and co-directs Stanford’s Focused Ultrasound Center of Excellence. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, he has led several clinical trials of focused ultrasound at Stanford that contributed significantly to FDA approval of the technology to treat patients with painful bone metastases, debilitating essential tremor, and symptomatic uterine fibroids; co-led trials at Stanford to treat prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease; and pioneered the application of MR-guided focused ultrasound for treatment of soft tissue tumors, such as desmoid tumors.

Aside from his clinical work, Dr. Ghanouni is a champion for improving focused ultrasound’s efficacy and safety and has engaged in multiple collaborative technical projects that have advanced the field.

“I am proud of what I have been able to achieve so far for our patients and others like them, and I am very excited by the opportunity to lead the development of future applications of this technology,” said Dr. Ghanouni.