Mark Woods

Mark Woods is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Portland State University (PSU). He holds roles in the Advanced Imaging Research Center at OHSU and the Department of Chemistry at PSU, balancing his time equally between both institutions. His research focuses on developing advanced MRI contrast media, particularly gadolinium-based agents targeting specific pathologies, emphasizing enhanced sensitivity for clinical applications.

Dr. Woods earned his B.Sc. from the University of York (1995) and Ph.D. from the University of Durham (1998). He completed a TMS fellowship at Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (1999) and postdoctoral work with Professor Dean Sherry at the University of Texas at Dallas (2000–2004). Before joining academia, he was a senior research scientist at Macrocyclics (2004–2007).

His research interests span Contrast Media, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Gadolinium chemistry, and Lanthanide-based agents. Key contributions include optimizing gadolinium chelates for improved clinical safety and efficacy, particularly in pregnancy, and pioneering nano-encapsulation techniques to enhance MRI contrast. His work bridges chemistry and biomedical imaging, addressing challenges in targeted imaging and contrast agent design.

Publications highlight advancements in chelate synthesis, relaxometric properties, and nano-assembly platforms. His 2018 work on Gadolinium chelate safety in pregnancy and 2024 study on α-Aryl substituted GdDOTA derivatives exemplify his impact. Awards include the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) fellowship (1999).

Dr. Woods collaborates across institutions, leading interdisciplinary teams in labs focused on molecular imaging and material science. His research addresses translational challenges in MRI contrast agent development, aiming to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient safety.