News Release

Jesse Jokerst Wins National Science Foundation CAREER Award

Research is working to develop improved cancer imaging and treatment tools

San Diego, Calif., May. 21, 2019 -- Jesse Jokerst, an assistant professor at the University of California San Diego Department of NanoEngineering, has been awarded a five-year, $550,000 grant through the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program.

Jokerst’s research focuses on acoustic imaging and medicine and new ways to diagnose and treat cancer. The funding will go into effect July 1.

Jesse Jokerst, UC San Diego NanoEngineering professor

“We proposed a radically different idea,” Jokerst said. “Current approaches to treating cancer use drugs or surgery or radiation. In this grant, I proposed a new way to kill cancer cells. We are creating tiny nanoparticles that swell up to 10-times their original size when they encounter and enter cancer cells. As they swell, the nanoparticles physically destroy the cancer and keep them from proliferating—we are treating the cells from the inside out. Rather than cutting out the tumor, we are popping the cells like a balloon – but from the inside.”

“The CAREER award is an important milestone for Jesse and underscores his strong commitment to the research program he has established at UC San Diego,” said Prof. Joseph Wang, Chair of the Department of NanoEngineering. “Dr. Jokerst will utilize this award to expand his research of vital importance to the nation.”

The CAREER Program is the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award in support of junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars.

Media Contacts

Daniel Kane
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-3262
dbkane@ucsd.edu

Liezel Labios
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-246-1124
llabios@ucsd.edu