Distinguished Professor Simon Cherry received European Society of Molecular Imaging Award

Simon Cherry, distinguished research professor of radiology and biomedical engineering, received the ESMI Award from the European Society of Molecular Imaging (ESMI). The award, considered ESMI’s highest honor, recognizes Cherry’s outstanding contributions to imaging science and “his dedication, passion and tireless advocacy for multidisciplinary collaboration.”

Cherry and UC Davis Professor Ramsey Badawi developed EXPLORER, the first clinically approved total-body Positron Emission Tomography (PET) system in the world. This powerful molecular imaging technique allows for the 3D visualization of physiologic, metabolic and molecular processes in the body. It has fundamentally transformed the field of imaging.

“It is an amazing honor to receive this award. I dedicate it to all my lab members, past and present, who worked so hard to make this possible,” Cherry said. “I am so grateful to Professor Bernd Pichler and Dr. Irene Marco Ruiz for their heartfelt introduction at the award ceremony.”

Pichler is a professor at the Universität Tübingen in Germany and a longtime collaborator with Cherry. Marco Ruiz, a lead researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, has been working with Cherry as part of the European Society for Molecular Imaging’s mentorship program.