Michael J. Evans, PhD, has been named the 2024 recipient of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Sam Gambhir Trailblazer Award. He will be honored at the SNMMI's annual meeting in Toronto.
Evans, a professor in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco, was recognized for his work in biomarker discovery and radiopharmaceutical development. His research has led to the translation of several novel radiopharmaceuticals into clinical use, including 11C-YJH08 (targeting the glucocorticoid receptor), Cu-64 GRIP B (targeting granzyme B), and F-18 TRX (targeting ferrous iron).
Evans earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the Scripps Research Institute. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and is a co-inventor on 13 patents pending or issued. He has also co-founded, consulted, and/or served on the scientific advisory board of several biotech companies, including Oric Pharmaceuticals, Enlaza Therapeutics, and HoneyBear Biosciences.
