R. Michael van Dam

R. Michael van Dam is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. His laboratory focuses on advancing molecular imaging technologies, particularly positron-emission tomography (PET), through innovative microfluidic and automation approaches. He develops cost-effective methods for producing diverse PET tracers and optimizes radiopharmaceutical synthesis for clinical and research applications.

Education:

• B.Sc.E. in Engineering Physics, Queen's University (1996)
• M.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering, University of Toronto (1998)
• Ph.D. in Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology (2005)
• Postdoctoral training in Microfluidics and Radiochemistry, California Institute of Technology (2006)

Van Dam's research integrates molecular imaging, microfluidics, and automation to develop novel technologies for radiopharmaceutical production. His work enables high-throughput optimization of tracer synthesis, automated radiosynthesis platforms, and miniaturized analytical systems. Key innovations include droplet-based microreactors for economical tracer production and advanced quality control methods for clinical applications. His lab collaborates extensively on tracer development for imaging biological processes including metabolism, gene expression, and disease mechanisms.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on microfluidic reactor design, automated radiosynthesis optimization, and clinical translation of novel PET tracers. Research consistently addresses scalability challenges in radiopharmaceutical production while maintaining rigorous quality standards.

Laboratory and Team: Van Dam directs an interdisciplinary research group developing automated technologies for radiochemistry. The lab maintains active collaborations with UCLA colleagues on novel tracer development and validation, and provides PET tracer production services for various research groups. Their work bridges engineering principles with clinical nuclear medicine applications.