Jens Hillengass, MD

• Multiple Myeloma

While in Medical School I focused my research on the investigation of morphological and functional imaging of hematological diseases, especially monoclonal plasma cell disorders. Our group has established magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) as novel standard diagnostic techniques in multiple myeloma and its precursor diseases. The discovery of a heterogeneity in growth patterns in myeloma has led us to focus on the significance of a spatial heterogeneity for genomic assessment and treatment monitoring especially minimal residual disease assessment.

The huge amount of information coming from whole body imaging motivated us to start the development of software tools to support the radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist in evaluating the clinical data and to make this "big imaging data" available for research. Dealing with myeloma patients in advanced stages of the disease and analyzing imaging results of modern imaging techniques has led to a deeper interest in myeloma bone disease, where we have started to investigate the influence of physical activity on pain, quality of life and skeletal related events. Having been responsible for the largest autologous stem cell transplant program in Germany has also motivated me to investigate how treatment with high dose chemotherapy can be improved regarding outcome and tolerability.