Jorge Oldan, MD
Kristen Olinger, MD
Yueh Z. Lee, MD, PhD
The Department of Radiology would like to recognize Associate Professor of Radiology Jorge Oldan, MD, and Assistant Professor of Radiology Kristen Olinger, MD, for serving on a UNC School of Medicine (SOM) multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary team awarded NIH P01 funding ($7M) in September 2021 to establish an Endometriosis Research Center supported by clinical investigators from four partnering academic medical centers and housed at UNC.
Led by Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Professor Steven Young, MD, PhD, the five-year multi-disciplinary establishment of a dedicated center for endometriosis research is funded by one of only two NIH grants extended nationwide for this purpose. A multi-disciplinary team of UNC clinical investigators joins peers from three institutions — Wake Forest School of Medicine, Michigan State College of Human Medicine, and Oregon Health and Science University – to develop new approaches to diagnosis and treatment, a patient/provider outreach education program to expand knowledge of endometriosis across North Carolina, and clinical trials to better understand fundamental disease mechanisms through the new center.
UNC Radiology’s imaging studies conducted at the Biomedical Research Imaging Center (BRIC) are central to the Department’s radiological contributions to this multi-disciplinary research center start-up. Dr. Jorge Oldan serves as the Department’s PI for imaging studies conducted toward better understanding fundamental disease mechanisms linked to endometriosis.
For molecular imaging and therapeutic (MiT) research studies supporting Endometriosis Research Center investigation, Dr. Oldan will utilize novel radiotracers produced by the BRIC Radiopharmacy team to image endometriosis with follow-up pathologic correlation. This will continue an effort by the Radiopharmacy team to develop and enhance the imaging of hormonal receptors, especially estrogen and progesterone. Dr. Kristen Olinger oversees UNC’s abdominal imaging studies with this initiative, including developing advanced ways to evaluate deep and superficial endometriosis.
Associate Professor of Radiology Yueh Lee, MD, PhD, will provide translational mentoring for BRIC imaging study results that support the new Endometriosis Research Center’s focus on developing approaches to diagnosing and treating endometriosis.
For UNC Health newsroom coverage of the NIH-funded establishment of a UNC-led, multi-institutional Endometriosis Center Research, click here.