Benjamin Ellingson

Benjamin Ellingson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is a member of the UCLA Brain Research Institute and the Cancer Molecular Imaging Physics & Biology in Medicine GPB Home Area. He directs the UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), where his team develops advanced imaging techniques to improve diagnosis and treatment monitoring of brain tumors.

Education: While specific degrees are not listed, his Ph.D. and faculty appointment at UCLA indicate extensive training in medical physics, neuroimaging, or a related field.

Research Interests: Dr. Ellingson's work bridges neuro-oncology and advanced MRI technologies, focusing on:

• Multiparametric MRI for glioma characterization (diffusion, perfusion, sodium, CEST)
• AI-driven imaging for tumor segmentation and treatment response prediction
• RANO criteria standardization for clinical trials
• Molecular imaging of tumor metabolism (pH, oxygenation, amino acid PET)

His 2025 publications highlight breakthroughs in super-resolution sodium MRI using AI and RANO 2.0 criteria for PET-based response assessment. Earlier work includes validating diffusion MRI as a biomarker for anti-VEGF therapy and developing digital "flipbooks" for tumor visualization.

Awards:

• SNO Award for Excellence in Neuroimaging (2019)
• Johnny Mercer Foundation Brain Tumor Research Award (2013)
• ACRIN Young Investigator Award (2012)
• W.S. Moore Young Investigator Award (2010)

Laboratory & Collaborations: Dr. Ellingson leads BTIL, collaborating with neurosurgeons (Liau, Cloughesy), oncologists (Wen, Prins), and imaging scientists worldwide. His lab pioneers techniques like simultaneous multinuclear MRI (1H/23Na) and radio-pathomics to predict treatment outcomes.