Robin Cumming

Robin Cumming, PhD serves as Director of the UCSF Radiopharmaceutical Facility, overseeing cyclotron operations and a multidisciplinary team of chemists, engineers, and technologists. Her team produces radiopharmaceutical drugs for same-day clinical use at UCSF Health, enabling first-in-human studies and decades-long research initiatives to reach patients.

Dr. Cumming earned her BS in Chemistry at Mills College and later completed her PhD at UC Davis under Julie Sutcliffe, PhD, Director of the Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Facility there. She joined UCSF in 2020, transitioning from roles as Research Scientist and Postdoctoral Researcher at Avid Radiopharmaceuticals.

Her work intersects nuclear chemistry, radiochemistry, and clinical radiopharmaceutical development, emphasizing rapid drug synthesis (90 minutes to 24 hours) using FDA-registered commercial manufacturing protocols. The lab employs pneumatic tube systems and emergency running protocols to meet tight timelines for short-half-life compounds.

Dr. Cumming actively advocates for diversity in radiochemistry, drawing from her own experience as a woman in a male-dominated field. She prioritizes collaborative team dynamics, individual development opportunities, and purpose-driven approaches to patient-centered care.

Outside work, she maintains athletic pursuits rooted in her competitive gymnastics and collegiate sports background, engaging in snowboarding, wakeboarding, and hiking with her rescue dogs.