Kurt R. Zinn

Kurt R. Zinn is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he held roles at the University of Alabama, including Professor of Radiology, Director of the Laboratory of Multimodality Imaging, and Director of Radiology’s Division of Advanced Medical Imaging Research. He earned a D.V.M., M.S. in Chemistry, and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Zinn’s research focuses on molecular imaging for cancer diagnosis/therapy and neuroimaging of drug delivery to the brain. His work includes developing PET radiotracers, targeted radioimmunotherapy, and novel drug delivery systems. Notable contributions include over ten phase I clinical trials and the Distinguished Investigator Award from the Academy of Radiology Research (2015).

His research spans PET imaging agent design, alpha-particle therapy for cancers (e.g., ovarian, breast), and advanced imaging techniques like simultaneous PET/MRI. He also investigates glymphatic system clearance in the brain and primate brain drug delivery via nasal routes. His work integrates 3D-printed biomedical tools and AI-driven image analysis for precision medicine applications.

Dr. Zinn’s labs focus on translational research bridging preclinical models and clinical applications. He collaborates extensively on imaging biomarkers, therapeutic efficacy evaluation, and multimodality imaging platforms. His team’s innovations aim to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy in oncology and neurology.