2023 Howard S. Stern Research Grant Recipient

Sina Houshmand, MD
University of California San Francisco
Evaluation of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Using 68Ga-FAP-2286 PET: Comparison with Conventional Imaging and Histology

The Howard S. Stern Research Grant honors the innovative work of Howard S. Stern by awarding one grant, up to $25,000 for promising projects in the field of abdominal radiology. The Grant is to facilitate visionary research in medical imaging by making funds available for pilot projects on ideas that are intellectually challenging but not yet well enough developed to be suitable for funding by mainstream granting agencies. The committee will select the most innovative application for the Stern Research Grant.

Howard S. Stern was a pioneer in the field of gastrointestinal imaging. Educated at MIT, he received a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1954. Following military service, he co-founded the company EZ-EM. This company is well known to all in the field of abdominal imaging. In 1962 he introduced unit-dose Barium. This patented technology entirely eliminated cross contamination that occurred using large volumes of contrast agents. Other important innovations included the dual contrast enema kit, and unique Barium products for oral use.

Mr. Stern devoted his life to improving diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases, especially colon cancer. He was an early advocate of annual screening.

He was active in many charitable causes, particularly at MIT where he endowed a fellowship chair at the School of Chemical Engineering and supported the Center for Cancer Research.  Mr. Stern was the founding donor of the Center for Patient Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin. Because EZ-EM products were used by radiologic technologists, and in honor of his father, he endowed a scholarship at the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Education and Research Foundation.

In 2001 Mr. Stern received an award from the Society of Abdominal Radiology, then known as the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology, for his generous support and dedication to the educational mission.  His passion for the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal diseases lives on in the Howard S. Stern Award.

AWARD DETAILS

• Recognition and presentation of award and plaque at the Annual SAR Business Meeting
• Starting date is immediately after presentation of the award (annual business meeting)
• Project must be completed or near completion within two years of the award
• At completion (two-years), project should be ready for presentation as a scientific paper at the SAR annual meeting
• The SAR member author must remain in-good-standing through the duration of the funded project

 Past recipients of the Howard S. Stern Research Grant