Bernd Pichler

Prof. Bernd Pichler is a co-opted university professor and director of the Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy at the University of Tübingen's Medical School. He holds academic degrees of Dr. rer. nat. and Dipl.-Ing., and his research focuses on molecular imaging and radiopharmacy with applications in cancer research, neurodegenerative diseases, and immunotherapy monitoring.

His recent publications highlight PET imaging for tracking immune responses (CD4+/CD8+ T cells), senescence detection in tumors and osteoarthritis, and neurochemical connectome mapping. He develops novel radiotracers ([18F]FPyGal, [18F]FEtFuc) and advanced imaging technologies for total-body PET/CT, organ-specific inserts, and multimodal imaging (PET/MRI).

Key subfields in his work include immune checkpoint therapy, α-synuclein imaging for Parkinson's, metabolic profiling of liver cancer, and optogenetics combined with functional imaging. His studies often integrate machine learning for quantifying tumor heterogeneity and predicting therapeutic outcomes.