The RSNA Research and Education (R&E) Foundation board of trustees has approved more than $4.7 million in grants this year to support emerging and underfunded fields in medical imaging.
The R&E Foundation has funded 29% of its 2025 applications, supporting researchers and innovators at 55 institutions, it said. This year’s grant projects have included research for breast cancer, head and neck cancers, Crohn's disease, lung cancer, gene therapies for chronic venous disease, liver cancer, hypoxic brain injury, child abuse, dementia, thyroid disease, prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, pediatric epilepsy, the combination of imaging with "liquid biopsy" to assess liver cancer risk, and the impact of chronic environmental stressors on children's brains, according to the foundation.
Among the 2025 grant recipients is Hyun Soo Ko, MD, of the University of Melbourne Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Ko and colleagues will investigate the use of advanced AI and genetic analysis of blood samples to help predict and manage muscle wasting in patients with colorectal cancer. Hers is the first R&E Foundation grant awarded to an Australian researcher.
The foundation has also bestowed nine Emerging Issues grants for projects covering advancing the use of AI for radiology screening exams and addressing the radiologist workforce shortage.
For 2026, the foundation will introduce six new focus areas that will address topics such as theranostics, pediatric care, cybersecurity, and access in vulnerable populations.
Those interested in contributing to the foundation can click here or text RadFuture to 71777. Applications for most 2026 grants open in October.
