Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceUnited States
Dr. John A. Copland III is a Professor of Cancer Biology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He leads the Cancer Biology and Translational Research Laboratory, focusing on molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and development of targeted cancer therapies. Education: PhD in Physiology & Endocrinology (Medical College of Georgia), MS in Endocrinology (Medical College of Georgia), BS in Chemistry (Columbus College), with postdoctoral training at University of Texas Medical Branch. Research interests center on: Identifying tumor suppressor genes (e.g., RhoB, TBR3, GATA3) and oncogenes (e.g., FOXO3a, SCD1, NPTX2). Developing patient-derived xenografts and live cell models for personalized medicine. Designing SCD1 inhibitors via in silico modeling for clinical trials. Recent publications highlight his work on SCD1 inhibition in leukemia and thyroid cancer ImmunoPET imaging of thyroid tumors CRISPR-identified drug synergies in cholangiocarcinoma Patient-specific combination therapies using xenograft models
Edward Ashworth is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Sydney School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney. He is affiliated with the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory and the Heat and Health Research Incubator. His research focuses on human adaptations to extreme environments, including heat, altitude, hyperbaric conditions, and space-related stressors. Key projects include improving sleep quality in hot environments and enhancing physical work capacity for outdoor workers. Edward's research interests span environmental physiology, with a focus on thermal tolerance, radiation injury mitigation, and the physiological effects of extreme conditions. He has contributed to studies involving nitrogen kinetics tracking using PET imaging, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and robotic surgery applications. Awards: Young Investigator Award (2023), Art of Science Contest 1st Prize (2024), Australia Space Biology Summit 1st Place (2022), and Sporting Blue (Auckland University of Technology). Associations: The Physiological Society and American Physiological Society. His work integrates clinical trials, statistical research design, and translational approaches to address challenges in environmental health, cardiovascular disease, and healthy ageing. Current projects aim to optimize thermal tolerance strategies for military and occupational settings.
John F Valliant is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at McMaster University. His research focuses on radiopharmaceutical chemistry, molecular imaging, and targeted therapies, particularly in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. He co-founded Fusion Pharmaceuticals, a company acquired by AstraZeneca for $2.4 billion (US), which specializes in targeted alpha therapy for cancer treatment. His work includes developing radiolabeled imaging agents for prostate cancer (e.g., [18F]DCFPyL), targeted alpha therapies (e.g., FPI-1434), and bioorthogonal chemistry strategies for pretargeted imaging. Valliant has contributed to advancements in photoacoustic imaging, SPECT/PET modalities, and theranostic agents for conditions like bacterial infections and bone diseases. Key projects include the Phase II clinical trial using 18F-DCFPyL PET-MRI for oligometastatic prostate cancer and studies on individualized dosimetry in Lu-177 therapies. He has pioneered platforms for radiolabeled antibody-recruiting molecules and fluorous-phase chemistry for high-specific-activity probes. Valliant’s research bridges disciplines, integrating chemistry, biology, and clinical applications to address unmet medical needs in oncology and diagnostic imaging.
Andrew Sutherland is Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Glasgow , School of Chemistry. His research integrates synthetic organic chemistry with molecular imaging, focusing on PET/SPECT tracer development, fluorescent amino acid probes, and transition-metal catalysis for rapid scaffold assembly. Education: Not explicitly listed in the provided text. Research Interests: Molecular imaging of neurological diseases and cancer using PET/SPECT tracers Development of fluorescent amino acid probes for cell imaging Transition-metal-catalyzed transformations (Fe, Cu, Pd, Ni) One-pot multi-reaction processes for drug-like scaffolds and natural products Publication Trends: His 2024–2025 work emphasizes fluorogenic amino acids, radiohalogenation for PET imaging, and iron/copper-catalyzed C–H functionalization. Earlier work includes natural product synthesis and mechanistic studies on halodeboronation. Scientific Awards: None listed in the provided text. Grants & Collaborations: Extensive collaborations with imaging scientists (e.g., Sally Pimlott, Adriana Tavares) and synthetic chemists, evidenced by multi-author papers and joint PET ligand development. Research Group: Leads the Sutherland group , housed in the Joseph Black Building (C5-06), with active projects in chemical biology and organic synthesis.
Hyun-soon Chong is a Professor of Chemistry at the Lewis College of Science and Letters , Illinois Institute of Technology. The Chong group focuses on interdisciplinary research spanning organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and nuclear medicine to develop targeted therapeutics for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Education : B.S. from Kyung Hee University, Ph.D. from the University of North Texas Research interests include: Organic synthesis using aziridinium ions Development of bifunctional chelators for radiotherapy/imaging Bioconjugate chemistry for antibody-drug conjugates Targeted cancer therapies and diagnostics Nuclear medicine applications with isotopes like Cu-64, Y-90, and Lu-177 Key publication trends show expertise in chelation chemistry, bioconjugation, and radiopharmaceutical development. The group has advanced aziridinium ion-based methodologies and created novel agents with preclinical efficacy. Labs/teams: The Chong group specializes in synthetic strategies for enantiomerically enriched molecules and biomedical chelators. Contact: chong@illinoistech.edu
Privatdozent Dr. Andreas Faust is a leading researcher at the European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI) at the University of Münster, where he heads the Chemical Targeting Lab. His work focuses on developing innovative imaging agents for medical diagnostics, particularly in radiopharmaceutical chemistry and molecular imaging. He maintains strong affiliations with the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University Hospital Münster and participates in the "Cells in Motion" excellence cluster, contributing to cutting-edge research at the intersection of chemistry, medicine, and imaging technology. Dr. Faust completed his chemistry studies at the University of Münster, earning his Diploma in 1999, followed by his doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.) in 2003 with research on artificial caffeine receptors. His academic journey continued with positions at the Department of Organic Chemistry and the Department of Nuclear Medicine before becoming head of the chemistry group at EIMI in 2011. Dr. Faust's research centers on organic and medicinal chemistry with specialization in radiopharmaceutical chemistry . His team develops novel tracers for diagnostic molecular imaging using positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), optical imaging, and photoacoustic imaging. A significant portion of his work focuses on creating specific ligands for the alarmins S100A8/S100A9 and bacteria-specific tracers based on complex carbohydrates or siderophores. His research has important applications in inflammation imaging, infection diagnostics, and cancer theranostics, with emphasis on improving metabolic stability and target specificity of imaging agents. His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to molecular imaging, with recent work emphasizing bacteria-specific PET tracers, inflammation imaging targeting S100 proteins, and novel optical imaging probes. The research shows a clear trajectory toward developing clinically applicable imaging agents with improved specificity and metabolic stability, particularly in the areas of infection diagnostics and inflammation monitoring. 2017: Best Poster Award at Symposium "Molecular Imaging Agents in Medicine," Groningen 2009: Young Investigator Award at Deutscher Röntgenkongress, Berlin 2005: Best Scientific Poster Award at 4th Annual Meeting of the Society of Molecular Imaging, Köln Dr. Faust leads multiple significant research projects, including as Coordinator of a project on immune cell distribution imaging (2019-2024) and as Principal Investigator for CRC-project A03 "Targeting of S100A8/A9 for imaging of inflammatory disorders" and research on vascular graft infections (both 2021-2024). His Chemical Targeting Lab comprises a multidisciplinary team working at the intersection of chemistry, microbiology, and medical imaging, securing substantial funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative and DFG Collaborative Research Centre. The Chemical Targeting Lab maintains state-of-the-art facilities for chemical synthesis, radiochemistry, and biological testing. The lab collaborates extensively with microbiologists, clinicians, and imaging specialists to translate basic research into clinical applications. Current research directions include optimizing bacterial imaging probes for clinical diagnostics and developing new inflammation-specific tracers for early disease detection, with particular focus on S100A9-targeted imaging and siderophore-based bacterial detection systems.
Professor Thierry Langer is a Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Life Sciences (Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences). He leads research in computational drug design, with a focus on pharmacophore modeling, 3D-QSAR analysis, and AI-driven molecular design. His work bridges theoretical and experimental chemistry, addressing targets like viral proteases (e.g., SARS-CoV-2), GABA receptors, and dopamine transporters. Research interests include: Pharmacophore-guided drug discovery for anti-viral and CNS therapies Development of next-generation computational tools (e.g., PharmacoMatch, QPhAR) Protein-ligand interaction modeling using neural networks and graph-based algorithms Recent studies focus on: Inhibitors for herpesvirus nuclear egress complexes, AI-optimized antivirals, and dopamine transporter inhibitors for cognitive enhancement. His lab collaborates on projects like the NeuroDeRisk initiative to de-risk neurotoxic compounds. Publications emphasize drug repurposing, metabolic pathway analysis, and scalable synthesis methods for promising drug candidates.
Prof. Freek J. Beekman is a Full Professor and head of the Biomedical Imaging section within the Department of Radiation Science & Technology at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Faculty of Applied Sciences. He is a leading figure in biomedical imaging, with extensive contributions to nuclear imaging technologies, including SPECT, PET, and CT. His research spans detector development, image reconstruction algorithms, hybrid photonic imaging, and the application of artificial intelligence in medical imaging. Research Interests: His work focuses on advancing imaging modalities through innovations in hardware (e.g., multi-pinhole collimators) and software (e.g., deep learning for attenuation correction). He has pioneered ultra-high-resolution imaging systems, particularly for preclinical and clinical SPECT, and has developed integrated platforms like U-SPECT-BioFluo. His recent research explores glymphatic delivery of nanoparticles, infection imaging, and AI-driven reconstruction techniques, reflecting a strong translational focus. Publication Trends: His most recent publications (2021–2023) emphasize deep learning in SPECT, multi-isotope imaging, high-resolution ex vivo systems, and applications in neuroimaging and oncology. The articles demonstrate a consistent focus on improving image quality, resolution, and clinical utility through physics-informed and AI-enhanced methods. Scientific Awards: NWO Physics Valorization Prize Innovation of the Year Award by the World Molecular Imaging Society (2015, 2018) Edward Hoffman Memorial Award (2017) Bruce Hasegawa Memorial Award (2021) FOM Valorization Award (2013) TU Delft Entrepreneurial Award (2010) Advising and Grants: While specific student names are not listed, his leadership in large collaborative projects and supervision of numerous publications suggests active mentoring. He has secured significant funding through national and international grants, evidenced by his invention of over 20 patent families and successful technology transfer. His founding and leadership of MILabs BV (sold to Rigaku) highlights his impact on commercialization and industry-academia collaboration. Labs and Teams: He leads the Biomedical Imaging research group at TU Delft, which develops cutting-edge imaging systems such as VECTor (SPECT-PET) and EXIRAD-HE. His teams have produced technologies used globally in academic and pharmaceutical research, contributing to tracer development and therapeutic innovation.
Dr Vincenzo Abbate is a Senior Lecturer in Bioanalysis at King's College London , affiliated with the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine and serving as Programme Director for the MSc in Analytical Toxicology . He holds a Pharm.D. (2004, Federico II University of Naples) and a PhD in Chemistry and Analytical Sciences (2008, The Open University) . Prominent research themes include: Metal Chelators for Medical/Diagnostic Applications New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) Toxicology Forensic Drug Analysis Nuclear Medicine Radiotracers Recent publications highlight advancements in nanoneedles for lipidomics , thallium-based radiopharmaceuticals , and stability studies of synthetic cathinones , with a focus on interdisciplinary collaborations across bioanalysis, synthetic chemistry, and clinical translational research . Scientific Recognition : Maplethorpe Fellowship (2008) Chartered Chemist (CChem) and Chartered Scientist (CSci) President of IUPAC Subcommittee on Toxicology and Risk Assessment His grants and projects include BBSRC , MRC , and Parkinson’s UK funding, with industrial partnerships like Theragnostics Ltd and TicTac Communications . He leads a team of 10 researchers and is actively involved in Spatial Biology Network and Multiscale Biofilm Research Hub initiatives.
Professor Franca Zanardi is a Full Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Parma, Italy. With a career spanning over two decades, she transitioned from University Researcher (1998-2002) to Associate Professor (2002-2019) before achieving her current role in 2019. Her research focuses on biomedical applications of peptidomimetics, asymmetric synthesis methodologies, and radiolabeled agents for disease diagnosis. Research Interests: Design and synthesis of integrin-targeting peptidomimetics for tumor therapy and diagnostics Development of asymmetric organocatalytic strategies for molecular diversity Creation of radiolabeled compounds for non-invasive diagnosis of neoplastic diseases Scientific Awards: Adolfo Quilico Medal (2024) Premio alla Ricerca Scientifica 'Chimica Organica per le scienze della vita' (2017) Three Excellence Citation Awards (2012, 2012, 2016) Two Hot Paper Recognitions (2015, 2020) Grants and Leadership: Principal Investigator for SARS-CoV-2 biomedical projects (2020-2022), PRIN2020 grant recipient (2022-2024), and participant in multiple international research collaborations. She leads the BioOrganicSynthesiS (BOSS) Group and serves on editorial advisory boards including ACS Central Science .
Luciano De Sio is an Associate Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, affiliated with the Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies. He leads a research group focused on biotechnology, liquid crystals, nanotechnology, optics, and bio-photonics. De Sio has over five years of experience as a senior research scientist at Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements in Orlando, FL, with collaborations spanning U.S. agencies like AFOSR and AFRL. Current position: Associate Professor Institution: Sapienza University of Rome Department: Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies His research integrates nanotechnology with biomedical applications, including photo-thermal therapy and reusable biosensors . Notably, he has co-authored 140 ISI-JCR publications, holds 18 international patents, and has delivered over 50 conference presentations. Recent work involves NATO-funded projects for nanotechnology-inspired biosensors with photo-responsive liquid crystals. NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme European Office of Aerospace Research & Development (EOARD) De Sio's projects include advanced thermoplasmonic optical filters , smart windows , and multifunctional face masks with hybrid nanostructures. His expertise spans computational modeling of heat transfer, plasmonic nanoparticle synthesis, and bio-photonic device development. He teaches foundational physics courses for Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing programs, including Medical Physics and Basics of Cellular and Molecular Biology . His group operates in the Laboratory of Biofotonica and Laboratorio di Biofotonica Ultrafast , advancing technologies from microfluidic circuits to gamma imaging systems.
Dr. Giancarlo Pascali is a Conjoint Associate Professor at the School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney , and Radiochemistry Team Leader at ANSTO's Camperdown cyclotron site. With a PhD in "Innovative Biomedical Technologies" from the University of Lecce (2004), he has held research positions at IFC-CNR , NIH , and GMP facilities in Milan and Pisa. His expertise spans radiochemical methods , radiopharmaceutical development , and microfluidic automation for nuclear medicine production. Education: PhD in Innovative Biomedical Technologies, University of Lecce (2004) BSc in Chemistry, University of Pisa (2001) Research interests focus on M 3 : Molecules, Methods, Machines . In Molecules , he designs radiopharmaceuticals for cancer , dementia , and inflammatory diseases . For Methods , his work explores photochemistry , electrochemistry , and mechanochemistry to label biomolecules with 18 F and other isotopes. Under Machines , he pioneers microfluidic systems for automated radiochemistry, emphasizing safety and process reliability . Editorial & Leadership Roles: Editorial Board Member of Nuclear Medicine and Biology , Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging , and Current Radiopharmaceuticals Executive Board of ANZSNM , ARTnet , and ASMI Asia-Oceania Director and iSRS2025 Chair for SRS
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Christine Mona is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her research focuses on experimental and translational oncology, particularly the role of Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) and Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) in tumor biology and radioligand therapy for prostate, sarcoma, and pancreatic cancers. PhD in Pharmacology , Université de Sherbrooke (2016) MOOC in Project Management, École Centrale de Lille (2015) MSc in Biomolecular Chemistry , Université de Montpellier (2010) BSc in Biomolecular Chemistry , Université de Montpellier (2008) Christine's research explores FAP-positive cells in cancer tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. She evaluates FAP-targeted Radioligand Therapy (RNT) as a novel approach, using animal models to investigate resistance mechanisms and design combination therapies for clinical translation in nuclear medicine. Her recent publications (2023–2025) demonstrate a focus on targeted alpha therapy , radioligand toxicity profiles , and combination treatments for prostate cancer, sarcoma, and glioblastoma. Key methodologies include PET imaging , immunohistochemistry , and in vivo models to validate therapeutic strategies.
Jung-Ho Yu is Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, specializing in nanoscale bioanalytical platforms. His research develops nanotechnology for multiplexed molecular monitoring in biological systems, with applications in cancer imaging and diagnostics. Research focuses on: Design of excretable nanoparticle contrast agents Multiplexed tumor imaging using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy Advanced microscopy techniques for deep-tissue visualization Professional associations include the American Chemical Society and World Molecular Imaging Society. Teaches courses in Multi-Component Analysis and Analytical Chemistry.
Shreya Goel is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah , affiliated with the College of Pharmacy (Molecular Pharmaceutics) and the School of Medicine (Radiology and Imaging Sciences). Her research focuses on integrating molecular imaging , biologics engineering , and theranostics to develop innovative cancer therapies. PhD: University of Wisconsin-Madison Her work leverages positron emission tomography (PET) , optoacoustic imaging , and nanotechnology to visualize disease microenvironments, optimize radionuclide therapies , and enhance pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling for drug development. Current projects include mitochondrial metabolism targeting in pediatric tumors, ultrasmall nanoprobes for surgical guidance, and hypoxia alleviation strategies in cancer treatment. Publications highlight advancements in imaging-guided radiotherapy , nanoprobe design , and multispectral optoacoustic tomography for tumor microenvironment analysis. Her lab actively recruits graduate students and postdoctoral researchers for interdisciplinary projects in pediatric oncology , radiopharmaceuticals , and biologics .
