Meet Chemist & Metabolic Imaging Expert Celine Taglang, PhD
“What I find most meaningful about my work as a researcher is fulfilling my search for knowledge and curiosity,” said Celine Taglang, PhD, a researcher in the Cancer Metabolic Imaging and Therapy Lab in UCSF’s Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.
In her research, Taglang develops advanced MRI techniques to detect and evaluate brain cancer, offering new hope for early diagnosis and targeted therapies.
“I use advanced imaging techniques to detect unusual biochemical reactions in brain models as cancer markers,” said Taglang. “At a molecular level, in a non-invasive way, I can identify new targets and evaluate drug candidates.”
She’s been passionate about science since childhood.
“In middle school, chemistry class was my favorite. I was fascinated when Ms. Laurent talked about Greek philosophers and atoms,” said Taglang.
In college, she continued to follow her passion. She obtained a PhD in chemistry at Paris Saclay University and the French Atomic Energy Commission. There she developed a new C-H activation reaction, using ruthenium nanoparticles and hydrogen gas, followed by deuterium incorporation in amino acids and pharmaceuticals, aimed at drug development innovation.
“My PhD work was quite fundamental. I trained to be an independent, rigorous, and innovative researcher,” she said.
In 2016, Taglang joined UCSF with the support of an Early Investigator Research Award from the US Department of Defense to improve 13Carbon labeling and hyperpolarization of biocompatible agents for MRI applications.
Since 2020, Taglang has been a member of Dr. Pavithra Viswanath’s Cancer Metabolic Imaging and Therapy Lab. In one of her first projects, she researched deuterium MRI and spearheaded the first pre-clinical research project demonstrating the ability of deuterium-labeled glucose to detect low-grade gliomas and evaluate new therapies. Recently, Taglang has shifted her focus to developing unique deuterium metabolic imaging agents for pediatric high grade glioma. In adddition, Taglang contributed to the launch of a high throughput platform for mass spectrometry-based metabolomics that enables identification of novel metabolic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for brain cancer.
“At UCSF I evolved, expanded my experience, and learned all aspects of medical sciences,” said Taglang. She’s especially proud that through her work, she is able to explore solutions and provide hope for cancer patients.
Outside of the lab, she enjoys what she describes as “life in California,” with a nod to our love of health, wellness, and living life outdoors.
“For me, yoga and running bring me balance,” she said with a smile.