Update Your ProfileAcademic Title:
Assistant Professor
Primary Appointment:
Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
Additional Title:
Assistant Professor
Email:
Location:
670 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone (Primary):
410-706-5967
Education and Training
2014 - 2018 Research Associate, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY
2012 - 2014 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Stanford University, CA
2007 - 2011 PhD Biochemistry, Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, UK
2004 - 2007 BA (Hons) Natural Science, Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, UK
Biosketch
My lab works at the intersection of signaling pathways and metabolism, with the goal of translating these findings for metabolic imaging and therapeutic applications.
Hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HP-MRS) is a unique metabolic imaging platform that enables real-time, non-invasive detection of metabolic flux in living cells and model organisms. I have previously pioneered the development of reporter genes for HP-MRS by genetically modifying cells to over-express bacterial and mammalian enzymes. I am now investigating growth factor signaling and nutrient consumption pathways, using a combination of genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies, with a focus on cellular sugar and lipid metabolism.
Research/Clinical Keywords
Metabolism, Hyperpolarized, Magnetic resonance imaging, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Cancer, Gene reporter, Biochemistry, Fructose, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, NAFLD, steatosis, NASH, steatohepatitis, Hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC, liver cancer, ketohexokinase, fructokinase
Highlighted Publications
Ketohexokinase-mediated fructose metabolism is lost in hepatocellular carcinoma and can be leveraged for metabolic imaging. Sci Adv. (2022)
b) Elsaid S, Wu, X, Tee SS(2024)
c) P Anantha, X Wu, S Elsaid, P Raj, J Hu, I Barman, SS Tee. Sweet science: Exploring the impact of fructose and glucose on brown adipocyte differentiation using optical diffraction tomography. J. Cell. Biochem. (2025)
d) A Gupta, P Anantha, H Koresawa, H Xi, MKH Lee, K Fujita, SS Tee, I Barman. Single–Cell Raman Imaging Reveals Fructose Impairs Brown Adipocyte Differentiation. Biosensors and Bioelectronics. (2025)
e) L Jiang, C Zhan, S Elsaid, X Li, S Xu, J Zhuo, SS Tee. Volumetric Brain Alterations Associated with a High-Fat, High-Fructose Obesogenic Diet: Insights from Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal MRI in Mice Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. (2025)
f) S Elsaid, X Wu, J Hu, N Ambaye, SS Tee. Beyond Fructolysis: Ketohexokinase Orchestrates ER Proteostasis in Nutrient-Stressed Hepatocytes American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. (2025)
Additional Publication Citations
a) Patrick, P.S., Hammersley, J., Loizou, L., Kettunen, M.I., Rodrigues, T.B., Hu, D.E., Tee. S.S., Hesketh, R., Lyons, S.K., Soloviev, D., Lewis, D.Y., Aime, S., Fulton, S.M., Brindle, K.M., Dual-modality gene reporter for in vivo imaging, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (2014)
b) Ye, D., Shuhendler, AJ., Cui, L., Tong, L., Tee, S.S., Tikhomirov, G., Felsher, D.W., Rao, J., Bioorthogonal cyclization-mediated in situ self-assembly of small-molecule probes for imaging caspase activity in vivo. Nat. Chem. (2014)
c) Dzien, P.,* Tee, S.S., * Kettunen, M.I., Lyons, S.K., Larkin T., Hu, D.E., Rodrigues, T.B., Serrao, E., Marco-Rius, I., Mannion, E., D‘Santos, P., Kennedy, B.W., Brindle K.M., 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements with hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate can be used to detect the expression of transgenic pyruvate decarboxylase activity in vivo, Magn. Reson. Med. (2015)
d) Digialleonardo, V., Tee, S.S., Aldeborgh, H., Eskandari, E., Jeong, S., Poot, A., Truong, S., Alvarez, J.A., Keshari, K.R., High-throughput indirect quantitation of 13C enriched metabolites using 1H NMR, Anal. Chem. (2016)
e) Tee, S.S., Digialleonardo, V., Eskandari, E., Jeong, S., Poot, A., Truong, S., Alvarez, J.A., Aldeborgh, H., Keshari, K.R., Sampling Hyperpolarized Molecules Utilizing a 1 Tesla Permanent Magnet. Sci. Rep. (2016)
f) Tee, S.S., Park, J., Billingsley, K., Josan, S., Hurd, R., Spielman, D., 2-deoxyglucose sensitizes cancer cells to PKM2 activation, Oncotarget (2017)
g) Tee, S.S., Suster, I., Truong, S., Digialleonardo, V., Eskandari, R., Jeong, S., Alvarez, J.A., Aldeborgh, H., Keshari, K.R., Targeted AKT inhibition in prostate cancer cells and spheroids reduces aerobic glycolysis and conversion of hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate to [1-13C] lactate. Mol. Cancer Res. (2018)
h) Hyperpolarized MRI of Human Prostate Cancer Reveals Increased Lactate with Tumor Grade Driven by Monocarboxylate Transporter 1. Cell Metab. (2019)
i) X Wu, S Elsaid, F Levet, W Li, SS Tee. Establishing immortalized brown and white preadipocyte cell lines from young and aged mice. Current Protocols. (2024)
Grants and Contracts
NIH National Cancer Institute R21CA245492-01A1, Principal Investigator
NIH National Institute of Aging R21AG084142, mPI
Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) #2025-R2-MSCRFL-00029, Principal Investigator
Links of Interest
Job Opportunities
We are always interested in having motivated individuals join our research team! Currently, there are postdoctoral and research assistant openings. Please send an email to discuss mutual interests.