Applied Radiology & Bracco Announce Winners of Inaugural CEUS Future Leaders Program

SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J., Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anderson Publishing, Ltd., publisher of Applied Radiology, today announced the four winners of the inaugural CEUS Future Leaders Program, a global educational initiative created to recognize and support the next generation of clinicians, researchers, and imaging professionals advancing the science and clinical application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Developed in connection with the 40th Annual International Bubble Conference and supported through an unrestricted educational grant from Bracco, the program encouraged medical students, residents, fellows, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career physicians to submit scientific posters highlighting innovative clinical applications, emerging research, and the evolving role of CEUS across basic science, cardiology, pediatrics, and radiology.

The inaugural program attracted seventeen poster submissions across the four categories from a diverse group of academic and medical institutions from around the globe. Submissions reflected a broad range of CEUS research and clinical applications and were evaluated for scientific merit, clinical relevance, innovation, educational value, and overall presentation quality.

Each submission was evaluated by members of the program’s Expert Review Committee, an international group of physicians, scientists, and CEUS experts who volunteered their time and expertise to support the program. Reviewers included Peter Burns, PhD; J. Brian Fowlkes, MD; Nico de Jong, MD; Steven B. Feinstein, MD; Sharon L. Mulvagh, MD; Petros Nihoyannopoulos, MD; Roxy Senior, MD; Kassa Darge, MD; Misun Hwang, MD; Richard G. Barr, MD; Dirk-André Clevert, MD; Yuko Kono, MD; Andrej Lyshchik, MD; Richard Towbin, MD, Alexander Towbin, MD, and Stephanie Wilson, MD. Applied Radiology extends its appreciation to the committee for its contribution to the inaugural program and its commitment to supporting the next generation of CEUS researchers and clinicians.

From the 17 submissions, four were selected for recognition as the 2026 CEUS Future Leaders Program winners:

Overall Winner | Basic Science

Anurag Paranjape, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh Heart and Vascular Institute
The Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Poster: “From Cavitation to Calcium: Piezo1-eNOS Signaling Regulates Transient Endothelial Hyperpermeability”

Winner | Radiology

Colbey Freeman, MD
Neuroradiologist & Assistant Professor of Radiology
University of Pennsylvania

Poster: “Saving the Brain: Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Evaluation of Brain Perfusion in a Piglet Model of Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation”

Winner | Pediatrics

Zuzanna Habura
Medical Student
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg / University Hospital Erlangen
Germany

Poster: “Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) and Ultrasound Localization Microscopy (ULM) in Pediatric Patients with Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract (CAKUT)”

Winner | Cardiology

Bethany Gholson, BS, ACS, RCS, FASE
Senior Research Cardiac Sonographer
University of Virginia, Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center

Poster: “Reversal of Microvascular Dysfunction in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy with Mavacamten Therapy: A Study Using Stress Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography”

“The quality and diversity of the seventeen submissions we received reflect the exciting work being conducted by the next generation of CEUS researchers and clinicians,” said Kieran Anderson, Vice President and Group Publisher of Anderson Publishing, Ltd. “The four winning posters demonstrate the breadth of innovation taking place across basic science and clinical practice, and we are proud to provide a platform that recognizes their work and connects these emerging leaders with the broader CEUS community.”

“Bracco’s support of the CEUS Future Leaders Program reflects our longstanding commitment to CEUS and our belief that advancing medical imaging begins with investing in the people who will shape its future,” said Robert Mitchell, Director, Ultrasound Platform Americas, Bracco. “The CEUS Future Leaders Program provides a platform for early-career clinicians, researchers, and imaging professionals to share their work, engage with experts, and contribute to the continued advancement of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and patient care.”

Additional information about the CEUS Future Leaders Program and the winning research is available at www.appliedradiology.com/ceus-leaders.

About Anderson Publishing

Anderson Publishing is a medical publishing and communications company committed to developing high-quality, clinically relevant content and educational programs designed to meet the needs of today’s healthcare professionals. Through its portfolio of publications, websites, webinars, and digital initiatives, including Applied Radiology, a peer-reviewed clinical review journal celebrating 55 years of publication, Anderson Publishing reaches a global audience of more than 60,000 healthcare professionals.

About Bracco

Bracco Group is a global leader in diagnostic imaging, committed to advancing healthcare and improving people’s lives by shaping the future of prevention and precision medicine. The company operates in the healthcare sector across more than 100 countries with a workforce of over 4,000 employees and consolidated annual revenues of approximately €2 billion, 88% generated by international markets.

With a strong commitment to innovation, Bracco develops and provides a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical products for diagnostic imaging, including contrast agents for X-ray, Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), as well as microbubbles for Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), Molecular Imaging through radioactive tracers and novel PET imaging agents, and AI-based solutions. It is also a global market leader in advanced contrast management technologies for cardiovascular angiography and radiology imaging.

About the International Bubble Conference

The International Bubble Conference is the premier global meeting dedicated to the science, research, and clinical applications of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, the conference brings together leading clinicians, scientists, engineers, and researchers from around the world to advance the understanding and use of CEUS across multiple medical specialties.

The two-day meeting features scientific presentations, emerging research, clinical case studies, and interactive discussions focused on developing more effective diagnostic and therapeutic applications of CEUS in cardiology, radiology, vascular medicine, gastroenterology, gynecology, and other imaging subspecialties.

Media Contact

Kieran Anderson
Vice President & Group Publisher
Anderson Publishing, Ltd.
kieran@appliedradiology.com
www.appliedradiology.com