Anna Wu
Professor, Molecular & Medical Pharmacology
Associate Director, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging
Member, ACCESS Program: Dept. of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, DOE Funded Faculty, JCCC Genitourinary Oncology Program Area

Molecular approaches to detection and treatment of cancer

Work Email Address:  awu@mednet.ucla.edu

Work Address:
570 Westwood Plaza
Crump Institute
CNSI 4335


Phone Numbers:
(310) 794-5088

Selected Publications:

Wu, A. M. Antibodies and Antimatter: The Resurgence of Immuno-PET. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2009; 50(1): 2-5.
Shimazaki, K. Chan, A. M. Moniz, R. J. Wadehra, M. Nagy, A. Coulam, C. P. Mareninov, S. Lepin, E. M. Wu, A. M. Kelly, K. A. Braun, J. Gordon, L. K. Blockade of epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) abrogates infection of Chlamydia muridarum murine genital infection model. Fems Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 2009; 55(2): 240-249.
Leyton, J. V. Olafsen, T. Sherman, M. A. Bauer, K. B. Aghajanian, P. Reiter, R. E. Wu, A. M. Engineered humanized diabodies for microPET imaging of prostate stem cell antigen-expressing tumors. Protein Engineering Design & Selection. 2009; 22(3): 209-216.
Schipper, M. L. Iyer, G. Koh, A. L. Cheng, Z. Ebenstein, Y. Aharoni, A. Keren, S. Bentolila, L. A. Li, J. Q. Rao, J. H. Chen, X. Y. Banin, U. Wu, A. M. Sinclair, R. Weiss, S. Gambhir, S. S. Particle Size, Surface Coating, and PEGylation Influence the Biodistribution of Quantum Dots in Living Mice. Small. 2009; 5(1): 126-134.
Wu, A.M. Antibodies and antimatter: The resurgence of immunoPET. J. Nucl.Med. 2009; 50: 2-5.
Leyton, J.V., Olafsen, T., Sherman, M.A., Bauer, K.B., Aghajanian, P., Reiter, R.E., and Wu, A.M. Engineered humanized diabodies for microPET imaging of prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA)-expressing tumors. Protein Engineering Design & Selection 2009; 22: 209-216.
Schipper, M.L., Iyer, G., Koh, A.L., Cheng, Z, Ebenstein, Y., Ahroni, A., Keren, S., Bentolilla, L., Li, J., Rao, J., Chen, X., Banin, U., Wu, A.M., Sinclair, R., Weiss, S., and Gambhir, S.S. Particle size, surface coating, and PEGylation influence the biodistribution of quantum dots in living mice. Small 2009; 5: 126-134.
Wu, A. M. Olafsen, T. Antibodies for molecular imaging of cancer. Cancer Journal. 2008; 14(3): 191-197.
Wu, A. M. Sirk, S. Barat, B. Olafsen, T. Cys-diabodies for nanoparticle conjugation and targeting. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2008; 23(4): 514-514.
Wei, L. H. Olafsen, T. Radu, C. Hildebrandt, I. J. Mccoy, M. R. Phelps, M. E. Meares, C. Wu, A. M. Czernin, J. Weber, W. A. Engineered Antibody Fragments with Infinite Affinity as Reporter Genes for PET Imaging. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2008; 49(11): 1828-1835.
Leyton, J.V., Olafsen, T., Lepin, E.J., Hahm, S., Bauer, K., Reiter, R.E., and Wu, A.M. A humanized radioiodinated minibody as an imaging agent for the detection of prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA)-expressing tumors by microPET. Clin. Canc. Res. 2008; 14: 7488-7496.
Wu, A.M. and Olafsen, T. Antibodies for Molecular Imaging of Cancer. Cancer Journal 2008; 14: 191-197.
Shimazaki, K., Lepin, E.J., Wei, B., Nagy, A., Coulum, P., Mareninov, S., Fu, M., Wu, A.M., Marks, J.D., Braun, J., Gordon, L.K., and Wadehra, M. Diabodies targeting epithelial membrane protein 2 reduce tumorigenicity of human endometrial cancer cell lines. Clin. Cancer Res. 2008; 14: 7367-7377.
Kenanova, V.E., Barat, B., Olafsen, T., Chatziioannou, A., Herschman, H.R., Braun, J., and Wu, A.M. Recombinant carcinoembryonic antigen as a reporter gene for molecular imaging. Eur. J. Nucl. Med. Molec. Imaging 2008; 36: 104-114.
Sirk, S., Olafsen, T., Barat, B., Bauer, K. B., McCabe, K.E., and Wu, A.M. Site-specific thiol-mediated conjugation of fluorescent probes to cysteine-modified diabodies targeting CD20 or HER2. Bioconjugate Chemistry 2008; 19: 2527-2534.
Venisnik, K. M. Olafsen, T. Gambhir, S. S. Wu, A. M. Fusion of Gaussia luciferase to an engineered anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibody for in vivo optical imaging. Molecular Imaging and Biology. 2007; 9(5): 267-277.
Barat, B. Wu, A. M. Metabolic biotinylation of recombinant antibody by biotin ligase retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. Biomolecular Engineering. 2007; 24(3): 283-291.
Loening, A. M. Wu, A. M. Gambhir, S. S. Red-shifted Renilla reniformis luciferase variants for imaging in living subjects. Nature Methods. 2007; 4(8): 641-643.
Olafsen, T. Gu, Z. Sherman, M. A. Leyton, J. V. Witkosky, M. E. Shively, J. E. Raubitschek, A. A. Morrison, S. L. Wu, A. M. Reiter, R. E. Targeting, imaging, and therapy using a humanized antiprostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) antibody. Journal of Immunotherapy. 2007; 30(4): 396-405.
Schipper, M.L., Cheng, Z., Lee, S.-W., Bentolila, L.A., Iyer, G., Rao, J., Chen, X., Wu, A.M., Weiss, S., and Gambhir, S.S. MicroPET-based biodistribution of quantum dots in living mice. J. Nucl. Med. 2007; 48: 1511-1518.
Loening, A.M., Wu, A.M., and Gambhir, S.S. Red-shifted Renilla reniformis luciferase variants for imaging in living subjects. Nature Methods 2007; 4: 641-643.
Ferl, G. Z. Kenanova, V. Wu, A. M. DiStefano, J. J. A two-tiered physiologically based model for dually labeled single-chain Fv-Fc antibody fragments. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2006; 5(6): 1550-1558.
Leyton, J. V. Olafsen, T. Sherman, M. A. Reiter, R. E. Wu, A. M. Anti-prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) antibody fragments for pet imaging of prostate cancer. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2006; 21(4): 391-391.
Venisnik, K. M. Olafsen, T. Loening, A. M. Iyer, M. Gambhir, S. S. Wu, A. M. Bifunctional antibody-Renilla luciferase fusion protein for in vivo optical detection of tumors. Protein Engineering Design & Selection. 2006; 19(10): 453-460.
Loening, A. M. Fenn, T. D. Wu, A. M. Gambhir, S. S. Consensus guided mutagenesis of Renilla luciferase yields enhanced stability and light output. Protein Engineering Design & Selection. 2006; 19(9): 391-400.
Li, L. Yazaki, P. J. Anderson, A. L. Crow, D. Colcher, D. Wu, A. M. Williams, L. E. Wong, J. Y. C. Raubitschek, A. Shively, J. E. Improved biodistribution and radioimmunoimaging with poly(ethylene glycol)-DOTA-conjugated anti-CEA diabody. Bioconjugate Chemistry. 2006; 17(1): 68-76.
Olafsen, T. Kenanova, V. E. Leyton, J. V. Betting, D. Raubitschek, A. A. Timmerman, J. M. Reiter, R. E. Wu, A. M. Micropet evaluation of an I-124-labeled antibody fragment (scFv-Fc) in non-internalizing (CEA and CD20) versus internalizing (HER2 and PSCA) tumor antigen systems. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2006; 21(4): 391-391.
Wong, J.Y.C., Chu, D.Z., Williams, L.E., Liu, A., Zhan, J., Yamauchi, D.M., Wilczynski, S., Wu, A.M., Yazaki, P.J., Shively, J.E., Leong, L., Raubitschek, A.A. A Phase I trial of 90Y-DOTA-anti-CEA chimeric T84.66 (cT84.66) radioimmunotherapy in patients with metastatic CEA-producing malignancies. Cancer Biother. Radiopharm. 2006; 21: 88-100.
Ferl, G.Z., Kenanova, V.E., Wu, A.M., and DiStefano III, J.J. A two-tiered physiologically-based model for dually labeled single chain Fv-Fc antibody fragments. Mol. Cancer Therapeutics 2006; 5: 1550-1558.
Sui, G., Wang, J., Lee, C.C., Lu, W., Lee, S.P., Leyton, J.V., Wu, A.M., and Tseng, H.-R. Solution-phase surface modification in intact poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic channels. Anal. Chem. 2006; 78: 5543-5551.
Kenanova, V.E. and Wu, A.M. Tailoring antibodies for radionuclide delivery. Exp. Opin. Drug Delivery 2006; 3: 53-70.
Olafsen, T Kenanova, VE Wu, AM Tunable pharmacokinetics: modifying the in vivo half-life of antibodies by directed mutagenesis of the Fc fragment.. Nature protocols. 2006; 1(4): 2048-60.
Ferl, G. Z. Wu, A. M. Distefano, J. J. A predictive model of therapeutic monoclonal antibody dynamics and regulation by the neonatal fc receptor (FcRn). Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 2005; 33(11): 1640-1652.
Huang, S. C. Truong, D. Wu, H. M. Chatziioannou, A. F. Shao, W. Wu, A. M. Phelps, M. E. An Internet-based "kinetic imaging system" (KIS) for MicroPET. Molecular Imaging and Biology. 2005; 7(5): 330-341.
Wu, A. M. Senter, P. D. Arming antibodies: prospects and challenges for immunoconjugates. Nature Biotechnology. 2005; 23(9): 1137-1146.
Olafsen, T., Kenanova, V., Sundaresan, G., Anderson,A.-L., Crow, D., Yazaki, P.J., Li,L., Press, M.F., Gambhir, S.S., Williams, L.E., Wong, J.Y.C., Raubitschek, A.A., Shively, J.E., and Wu, A.M. Optimizing radiolabeled anti-p185HER2 antibody fragments for in vivo imaging. Cancer Research 2005; 65: 5907-5916.
Michalet, X., Pinaud, F.F., Bentolila, L.A., Tsay, J.M., Doose, S., Li, J., Sundaresan, G., Wu, A.M., Gambhir, S.S., and Weiss, S. Quantum dots for live cells, in vivo imaging, and diagnostics. Science 2005; 307: 538-544.
Yazaki, P. J. Sherman, M. A. Shively, J. E. Ikle, D. Williams, L. E. Wong, J. Y. C. Colcher, D. Wu, A. M. Raubitschek, A. A. Humanization of the anti-CEA T84.66 antibody based on crystal structure data. Protein Engineering Design & Selection. 2004; 17(5): 481-489.
Olafsen, T. Tan, G. J. Park, J. M. Crow, D. Li, L. Sundaresan, G. Gambhir, S. S. Shively, J. E. Raubitschek, A. A. Press, M. F. Wu, A. M. Tumor targeting, biodistribution and micro-PET imaging of engineered anti-HER2/neu antibody fragments in xenograft-bearing mice.. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2003; 44(5): 363p-363p.
Jensen MC, Cooper LJ, Wu AM, Forman SJ, Raubitschek A Engineered CD20-specific primary human cytotoxic T lymphocytes for targeting B-cell malignancy.. Cytotherapy. . 2003; 5(2): 131-8.
Sundaresan, G. Yazaki, P. J. Shively, J. E. Toyokuni, T. Nguyen, K. N. Finn, R. Larson, S. M. Raubitschek, A. A. Gambhir, S. S. Wu, A. M. I-124 radiolabeled genetically engineered anti-CEA antibody fragments for tumor imaging with microPET.. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2001; 42(5): 153p-153p.
Abdel-Jalil, R. J. Walsh, J. C. Stone, J. L. Shively, J. E. Satyamurthy, N. Barrio, J. R. Phelps, M. E. Wu, A. M. Gambhir, S. S. Toyokuni, T. Synthesis of 4-[(4-(18)Ffluorobenzylidene) aminooxy]butyl vinyl sulfone as an amine- and thiol-reactive F-18-labeling agent.. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2001; 42(5): 256p-256p.
Wu, A. M. Tools for pretargeted radioimmunotherapy. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2001; 16(2): 103-108.
Leyton, J. V. Olafsen, T. Lepin, E. J. Hahm, S. Bauer, K. B. Reiter, R. E. Wu, A. M. Humanized Radioiodinated Minibody For Imaging of Prostate Stem Cell Antigen-Expressing Tumors. Clinical Cancer Research. 2008; 14(22): 7488-7496.
Loening, AM Wu, AM Gambhir, SS Red-shifted Renilla reniformis luciferase variants for imaging in living subjects.. Nature methods. 2007; 4(8): 641-3.
Barat, B Wu, AM Metabolic biotinylation of recombinant antibody by biotin ligase retained in the endoplasmic reticulum.. Biomolec. Eng.. 2007; ePub: .
Cai, W Olafsen, T Zhang, X Cao, Q Gambhir, SS Williams, LE Wu, AM Chen, X PET imaging of colorectal cancer in xenograft-bearing mice by use of an 18F-labeled T84.66 anti-carcinoembryonic antigen diabody.. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. 2007; 48(2): 304-10.
Kenanova, V. Olafsen, T. Williams, L. E. Ruel, N. H. Longmate, J. Yazaki, P. J. Shively, J. E. Colcher, D. Raubitschek, A. A. Wu, A. M. Radioiodinated versus radiometal-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen single-chain Fv-Fc antibody fragments: Optimal pharmacokinetics for therapy. Cancer Research. 2007; 67(2): 718-726.
Sui, G. D. Wang, J. Y. Lee, C. C. Lu, W. X. Lee, S. P. Leyton, J. V. Wu, A. M. Tseng, H. R. Solution-phase surface modification in intact poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic channels. Analytical Chemistry. 2006; 78(15): 5543-5551.
Sui, G. D. Wang, J. Zeta, T. F. Y. Leyton, J. V. Wu, A. M. Tseng, H. R. Surface modification of PDMS-surfaces for protein-passivation, cell immobilization, DNA array and immunoassay. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. 2006; 231(number): -.
Olafsen, T. Kenanova, V. E. Sundaresan, G. Anderson, A. L. Crow, D. Yazaki, P. J. Li, L. Press, M. F. Williams, L. E. Wong, J. Y. C. Raubitschek, A. A. Shively, J. E. Wu, A. M. Optimizing radiolabeled engineered anti-p185(HER2) antibody fragments for in vivo imaging. Cancer Research. 2005; 65(13): 5907-5916.
Michalet, X. Pinaud, F. F. Bentolila, L. A. Tsay, J. M. Doose, S. Li, J. J. Sundaresan, G. Wu, A. M. Gambhir, S. S. Weiss, S. Quantum dots for live cells, in vivo imaging, and diagnostics. Science. 2005; 307(5709): 538-544.
Kenanova, V. Olafsen, T. Crow, D. M. Sundaresan, G. Subbarayan, M. Carter, N. H. Ikle, D. N. Yazaki, P. J. Chatziioannou, A. F. Gambhir, S. S. Williams, L. E. Shively, J. E. Colcher, D. Raubitschek, A. A. Wu, A. M. Tailoring the pharmacokinetics and positron emission tomography imaging properties of anti-carcinoembryonic antigen single-chain Fv-Fc antibody fragments. Cancer Research. 2005; 65(2): 622-631.
Wong, J. Y. C. Chu, D. Z. Williams, L. E. Yamauchi, D. M. Ikle, D. N. Kwok, C. S. Liu, A. Wilczynski, S. Colcher, D. Yazaki, P. J. Shively, J. E. Wu, A. M. Raubitschek, A. A. Pilot trial evaluating an I-123-labeled 80-kilodalton engineered anticarcinoembryonic antigen antibody fragment (cT84.66 minibody) in patients with colorectal cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. 2004; 10(15): 5014-5021.
Olafsen T, Tan GJ, Cheung CW, Yazaki PJ, Park JM, Shively JE, Williams LE, Raubitschek AA, Press MF, Wu AM Characterization of engineered anti-p185HER-2 (scFv-CH3)2 antibody fragments (minibodies) for tumor targeting.. Protein engineering, design & selection : PEDS. . 2004; 17(4): 315-23.
Olafsen T, Cheung CW, Yazaki PJ, Li L, Sundaresan G, Gambhir SS, Sherman MA, Williams LE, Shively JE, Raubitschek AA, Wu AM Covalent disulfide-linked anti-CEA diabody allows site-specific conjugation and radiolabeling for tumor targeting applications.. Protein engineering, design & selection : PEDS. . 2004; 17(1): 21-7.
Sundaresan G, Yazaki PJ, Shively JE, Finn RD, Larson SM, Raubitschek AA, Williams LE, Chatziioannou AF, Gambhir SS, Wu AM 124I-labeled engineered anti-CEA minibodies and diabodies allow high-contrast, antigen-specific small-animal PET imaging of xenografts in athymic mice.. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. . 2003; 44(12): 1962-9.
Ray, P. Wu, A. M. Gambhir, S. S. Optical bioluminescence and positron emission tomography imaging of a novel fusion reporter gene in tumor xenografts of living mice. Cancer Research. 2003; 63(6): 1160-1165.
Carmichael JA, Power BE, Garrett TP, Yazaki PJ, Shively JE, Raubischek AA, Wu AM, Hudson PJ The crystal structure of an anti-CEA scFv diabody assembled from T84.66 scFvs in V(L)-to-V(H) orientation: implications for diabody flexibility. J Mol Biol. 2003; 326(2): 341-51.
Wu, A. M. Yazaki, P. J. Tsai, S. W. Nguyen, K. Anderson, A. L. McCarthy, D. W. Welch, M. J. Shively, J. E. Williams, L. E. Raubitschek, A. A. Wong, J. Y. C. Toyokuni, T. Phelps, M. E. Gambhir, S. S. High-resolution microPET imaging of carcino-embryonic antigen-positive xenografts by using a copper-64-labeled engineered antibody fragment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2000; 97(15): 8495-8500.
 Michael E. Phelps, Director  Anna Wu, Co-Director  Arion Chatziioannou   Johannes Czernin  Thomas Graeber   Harvey Herschman  Henry Huang  Raphael Levine  Huiying Li  Caius Radu  Kwang-fu Shen  Nagichettiar Satyamurthy  David Stout  Hyongsok Soh  Hsian-Rong Tseng  Michael Van Dam  Christine Wu
Chatziioannou Lab Graeber Lab Li Lab Radu Lab Soh Lab Stout Lab Tseng Lab Van Dam Lab Wu Lab
home