Kristen Marley
Papers
1
Total Citations
4
H-Index
1
About
Kristen Marley is a surgical oncologist whose work focuses on advancing fluorescence-guided surgery, particularly for renal cell carcinoma. Her research explores the use of targeted fluorescent imaging agents to improve intraoperative tumor margin assessment during robotic partial nephrectomy. Marley’s most cited study, “OTL-38-Guided Fluorescent Imaging in Renal Cell Cancer Robotic Partial Nephrectomy” (2017), introduced a novel approach using folate receptor-targeted probes to differentiate malignant tissue from healthy parenchyma. Although her early findings revealed unexpected folate receptor expression in normal kidney tissue—rather than exclusively in tumors—this observation proved clinically valuable, as it allowed surgeons to confirm negative margins by visualizing the contrast between fluorescent healthy tissue and non-fluorescent tumor. This counterintuitive result has shaped subsequent research into folate receptor heterogeneity in renal cancers. With 4 citations, her work represents an early, foundational contribution to the emerging field of molecular-guided surgery, where real-time optical imaging enhances precision and reduces positive margin rates. Marley’s investigations continue to inform the development of targeted contrast agents, bridging the gap between preclinical imaging and practical oncologic surgery.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1