Victoria Laney, PhD
Biomedical Engineering
Bridge to Faculty Postdoctoral Research Associate
Pronouns: she/her
About
Victoria Laney will be joining the Department of Biomedical Engineering as a postdoctoral Bridge to Faculty Scholar. Prior to her arrival at UIC, Victoria earned her PhD from Case Western Reserve University under the guidance of Dr. Zheng-Rong Lu. She also earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where she conducted research under the mentorship of Dr. Laura Ensign and Dr. Konstantinos Konstantopoulos.
Victoria's doctoral research on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) involved utilizing MR molecular imaging with a fibronectin-targeted gadolinium contrast agent to monitor therapies in pathologically relevant models of PDAC. Her work demonstrated the potential of MR molecular imaging for immunosurveillance in PDAC, enabling non-invasive assessment of treatment response and addressing critical challenges in PDAC management.
At UIC, Victoria's research will focus on the development of molecular and quantitative MR imaging techniques to improve the early detection and management of peritoneal cancers, such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian cancer. By leveraging the complex tumor microenvironment and targeting specific oncoproteins, her work aims to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes in these challenging cancers.