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Megan Madonna

Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
140 Science Dr., Gross Hall 379, Durham, NC 27708

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering · 2023 - Present Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering

Recent Publications


Optical imaging reveals chemotherapy-induced metabolic reprogramming of residual disease and recurrence.

Journal Article Sci Adv · April 5, 2024 Fewer than 20% of triple-negative breast cancer patients experience long-term responses to mainstay chemotherapy. Resistant tumor subpopulations use alternative metabolic pathways to escape therapy, survive, and eventually recur. Here, we show in vivo, lon ... Full text Link to item Cite

Metabolic Imaging as a Tool to Characterize Chemoresistance and Guide Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).

Journal Article Molecular cancer research : MCR · October 2023 After an initial response to chemotherapy, tumor relapse is frequent. This event is reflective of both the spatiotemporal heterogeneities of the tumor microenvironment as well as the evolutionary propensity of cancer cell populations to adapt to variable c ... Full text Cite

In vivo metabolic imaging identifies lipid vulnerability in a preclinical model of Her2+/Neu breast cancer residual disease and recurrence.

Journal Article NPJ Breast Cancer · September 26, 2022 Recurrent cancer cells that evade therapy is a leading cause of death in breast cancer patients. This risk is high for women showing an overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2). Cells that persist can rely on different substrates f ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


A single shot therapy will accelerate the elimination of breast cancer

ResearchResearch Scientist · Awarded by United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity · 2024 - 2028

Development of CapCell Scope for Metabolic Imaging of Tissue Heterogeneity and Therapy Response

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering · 2019 - 2028

Ignite: Place-Based Human Centered Design Framework to Promote Engineering and Community-Identity

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Burroughs Wellcome Fund · 2024 - 2027

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Education, Training & Certifications


Duke University · 2020 Ph.D.