SUMMARY
Mayo Clinic researcher Maria Cekanova, Ph.D., is a molecular biologist and geneticist. She is board certified as a high-complexity clinical laboratory director in molecular diagnostics through the American Board of Bioanalysis. Her work focuses on identifying biomarkers and validating novel imaging and therapeutic agents to improve cancer detection and enable personalized treatment strategies for patients.
Dr. Cekanova serves as director of the Mayo Clinic Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core in Rochester, Minnesota. In this role, she oversees biorepository operations and develops protocols for biospecimen collection, processing, storage, tracking and distribution. Her efforts help ensure the availability of high-quality specimens for research, expand BAP capabilities and support the timely activation of multidisciplinary and multi-institutional clinical studies at Mayo Clinic and beyond.
Focus areas
Biorepository program
Dr. Cekanova collaborates on and develops biospecimen workflows for large clinical cohort studies focused on precision medicine and nutrition. She designs and implements standard operating procedures for biospecimen collection, processing, quality assurance and data management to improve operational efficiency and support biomarker discovery.
Her biorepository work integrates nationwide biospecimen collection and long-term storage for clinical studies involving postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorder, musculoskeletal diseases, nutrition and other conditions.
Cancer imaging and therapeutics
Dr. Cekanova studies imaging and therapeutic agents in a variety of models to identify molecular changes associated with cancer. She evaluates technologies that may improve early detection and treatment monitoring. Dr. Cekanova and the BAP Core Laboratory team support imaging research across the translational continuum, from discovery through clinical translation.
Molecular diagnostic testing
Dr. Cekanova contributes to the design and validation of high-complexity molecular assays for infectious diseases and cancer biomarkers. Her work addresses the need for accurate, scalable clinical laboratory tests that enable the reliable detection of pathogens and clinically actionable cancer mutations. These efforts support the need for rapid, dependable diagnostic testing in a variety of clinical settings.
Advanced neutron imaging
Dr. Cekanova conducts research in neutron imaging and machine learning for biological samples. Her work explores how advanced imaging technologies can improve visualization of tissue structure, reduce imaging time and broaden applications for cancer and other areas of biomedical research.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Cekanova helps ensure that researchers have access to high-quality biological samples for medical research. Her work supports studies that lead to better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease for patients.
Professional highlights
- Member, American Society for Nutrition, 2026-present.
- Mayo Clinic:
- Director, Biospecimen Accessioning and Processing Core, Mayo Clinic, 2025-present.
- Member, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2025-present.
- Member, International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories, 2025-present.
- National Institutes of Health:
- Member, Science Committee, All of Us Research Program, 2025-present.
- Member, Steering Committee and Consortium, Nutrition for Precision Health, 2025-present.
- Multiple principal investigator, All of Us Biobank, Medicine Initiative Cohort Program 2025-2030.
- Multiple principal investigator, Nutrition Precision Health Biobank, 2025-2030.
- Multiple principal investigator, Interactive Data Portals and Robust Analytic Tools to Wrap PASC Cohorts (iDRAW), PASC Biorepository Core, 2021-2027.
- Multiple principal investigator, Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery Clinical Trials Biorepository, 2023-2026.
- Director member, American Association of Bioanalysis, 2024-present.
- Member, College of American Pathology, 2023-present.
- Professional member, World Molecular Imaging Society, 2014-present.
- Active member, American Association for Cancer Research, 2006-present.
- Co-investigator, Complex, Unique and Powerful Imaging Instrument for Dynamics Beamline for Second Target Station at Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2021-2025.
- Chief scientific officer, Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, 2000-2005.