Ask the expert: What’s next for X-ray technology

Erik Shapiro has been pushing the boundaries of imaging at MSU for nearly 15 years. Imaging is how doctors and researchers see inside the body without surgery. It includes tools like X-rays and scans that create pictures of what’s happening beneath the skin so medical decisions can be based on clear and immediate information.

Here, Shapiro, associate chair of research and professor in the Department of Radiology in the colleges of Human Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine and division director for Biomedical Imaging at the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, talks about his work and its impact. He also explains how two recent grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling nearly $3 million will take his research team to the next level and what that could mean for patient care and well-being.

What is the focus of your research?

In the MSU Molecular and Cellular Imaging Laboratory, we focus on making things visible that are normally hidden and invisible inside the body. Many important biological processes — such as how the brain learns or how a medical implant changes over time — cannot be seen with standard medical imaging. Our goal is to develop new imaging tools and materials that allow doctors and researchers to see what is actually happening, rather than relying on indirect clues.

Imaging plays a critical role in medical decision-making, yet many tools have changed very little in recent decades. By improving what can be seen and how clearly it can be seen, this research aims to support safer, more precise and more personalized care, with the potential for earlier interventions and better outcomes for patients.

You recently received two new NIH grants. Why is that so significant right now?

Getting any federal research funding is hard, and it’s especially challenging right now. Receiving two NIH grants in a short period of time is a big vote of confidence — not just in our lab, but in the research environment at MSU. It shows that innovative, collaborative biomedical research is thriving here, even in uncertain times.

Federal research funding supports high-risk, high-reward ideas that can lead to major breakthroughs. Securing two NIH grants in today’s competitive environment signals that this work has the potential to shape future medical technologies and improve human health.

One of the grants focuses on imaging for medical implants. What problem are you trying to solve?

Medical implants — such as tissue scaffolds, artificial cartilage or materials used to repair nerves — are becoming more common. Once implanted, however, many of these materials are difficult to see using standard imaging. If an implant shifts, breaks down or does not heal as expected, it can be hard to identify the problem. Our goal is to design implants that can be safely seen using X-rays, allowing doctors to monitor healing over time and intervene earlier if needed.

Advanced 3D printing, including new systems at MSU, makes it possible to customize implants for individual patients rather than relying on one-size-fits-all designs. A petite older adult and a professional athlete may require very different solutions. My colleague Kendell Pawelec, an expert in biomaterials, is a key partner in this work. Together, we are exploring how to print implants that are strong, biocompatible and visible with medical imaging.

We’re designing our solutions so they’ll work with the next generation of imaging systems that are just coming online. For example, traditional X-rays are basically black and white so different materials can look the same, which makes interpretation difficult. New color X-ray technology can distinguish between materials — like bone versus an implant — even if they look identical in a regular scan. That will mean clearer images, less radiation exposure and more precise follow-up care.

The second grant focuses on brain imaging and behavior. What’s new about that approach?

Most brain imaging in animals has to be done while the animal is anesthetized and lying still in a scanner. That limits what you can study. This grant explores a new way to connect brain activity with real learning and behavior — like solving a maze — without scanning the animal at the exact moment the behavior happens. If it works, it could remove a major roadblock in neuroscience research and give us a much clearer picture of how learning works in the brain of humans as well as animals.

How does this imaging research benefit human health in the long run?

Although some of this work begins in animal models, it is designed with translation in mind, which means moving from basic discovery to real-world impact. MSU’s strengths in imaging, engineering, veterinary medicine and clinical partnerships make us well-suited for successfully taking that step. Whether this research leads to better ways to track healing after surgery or deeper insights into brain function, the long-term goal is to support safer and more effective care for people.

What excites you most about this moment in your work?

Honestly, it’s collaborating. These projects don’t belong to just one person — they’re true team efforts across MSU and with external partners, where everyone brings something essential to the table. Even in this tough funding climate, these kinds of collaborations show what’s possible. It’s a reminder that MSU is doing work that can stand alongside the very best institutions, and that’s something worth celebrating.