Youngho Seo

Youngho Seo, PhD, is a **Professor** and **Director of Nuclear Imaging Physics** in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He also holds a **Professor** position in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at UC Berkeley and serves as a Physicist Faculty Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His roles include leading the UCSF Physics Research Laboratory (PRL) and directing the preclinical PET/SPECT/CT/Optical imaging core facility at the UCSF Center for Molecular and Functional Imaging.

**Education**:

• B.S. in Physics (KAIST, 1995)
• M.S. in Physics (University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1997)
• M.S. and PhD in Physics (UCLA, 2001–2002), specializing in astroparticle physics
• Postdoctoral training in neutrino physics (UCLA) and medical imaging physics (UCSF)

**Research Focus**: Dr. Seo specializes in **radionuclide/x-ray imaging instrumentation**, **molecular imaging tools (SPECT/CT, PET/CT/MR)**, and **preclinical cancer theranostics**. His work spans small animal imaging, radiopharmaceutical development, and translational applications in oncology and cardiology.

**Grants & Awards**: Over 15 NIH grants, including roles as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI for projects like CD46-targeted radioligand therapy and [18F]F-AraG cardiac imaging. Notable awards include the **Alexander R. Margulis Award** (2016) and **Outstanding Teacher Award** (2021–22).

**Key Contributions**: Development of **alpha-particle therapies**, **STARPEG nanocarriers**, and **PET imaging biomarkers** for cardiotoxicity. His lab (UCSF PRL) focuses on advancing imaging technologies for clinical translation.