Sanjiv Sam Gambhir MD, PhD

Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD is the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering at Stanford University. He received his bachelor of science degree in physics from Arizona State University in 1983. He subsequently received both his medical degree and doctorate in biomathematics in 1993 while in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He completed an internship in internal medicine followed by a residency in nuclear medicine and a fellowship in PET/CT, at the Center for Health Sciences at UCLA. He rose up the ranks at UCLA to become director of the Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging and professor/vice chair of molecular and medical pharmacology.

Professor Gambhir is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of molecular imaging. His laboratory has developed fundamental new ways to image living subjects including methods to image gene expression and cell trafficking. He has developed methods to image signal transduction pathways including protein-protein interactions and other fundamental cellular events. Dr Gambhir has recently pioneered novel Raman nano-molecular imaging strategies that are being clinically translated for endoscopic imaging. He has translated novel molecular imaging strategies using reporter genes with PET/CT for pilot trials in gene and cell therapies. He played a major role in obtaining reimbursement for FDG PET from the Centers for Medicare and Medical Services including the development of several cancer cost-effectiveness models for lung, colorectal, and other cancers. He is currently working to advance the merger of in vitro and in vivo diagnostics using novel nanotechnology for earlier disease detection and individualized patient management.

Dr Gambhir has received numerous awards including the Hounsfield Medal from Imperial College, Tesla Medal from the UK Royal College of Radiologists, Holst Medal, Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award, Paul C. Aebersold Award from the SNM, Achievement Award from the SMI, and the Distinguished Basic Scientist Award from the AMI. He co-hosted the 2007 Nobel Symposium on Imaging in Stockholm and was elected in 2008 as one of the youngest members to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.