Dr. Caius Radu

Biography

Caius Radu, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and the director of the Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division at UCLA. His research focuses on advancing the understanding of fundamental biological processes affected by metabolic signal transduction networks. Dr. Radu's work aims to leverage this knowledge to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that improve patient care. His laboratory employs state-of-the-art instrumentation, including Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Mass Spectrometry assays, to conduct its research. Dr. Radu collaborates with an interdisciplinary team of investigators at UCLA, bringing together expertise in areas such as metabolism, cancer biology, signal transduction, structural biology, radiochemistry, and molecular imaging. His recent contributions include the discovery of a new role for the nucleoside salvage pathway in hematopoiesis, identifying metabolic kinases as therapeutic targets in leukemia, and the development of novel PET probes for nucleotide metabolism, some of which have been successfully translated into clinical applications. His lab's significant findings include potential new treatments for leukemia and solid tumors through small molecule inhibitors of deoxycytidine kinase.

Research Interests