A brain positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that allows doctors to see how a patient or research subjects’ brain is functioning. This presentation will cover the state-of-the-art in functional neuroimaging using brain PET, including: introducing fundamentals of the technique; the latest instrumentation (e.g. PET/MRI, total body PET) and scanning protocols; the types of radiotracers used for i) clinical care, ii) research and iii) to support drug development; and data analysis approaches (e.g. pharmacokinetic modeling, compartmental analysis, Logan plots). The talk will conclude with future directions for brain PET, including emerging concepts such as theranostics for dementia.

Presenter Biography:
Prof. Peter Scott obtained his undergraduate degree in medicinal chemistry from Loughborough University and his PhD in organic chemistry from Durham University, both in the UK. He then moved to the US for postdoctoral research in organometallic chemistry at SUNY Buffalo (Huw Davies), and PET radiochemistry at the University of Michigan (Michael Kilbourn). Peter worked for Siemens Molecular Imaging for a few years after his post doc where he led radiochemistry at the Technology Center in Los Angeles. He started his independent faculty career at the University of Michigan in 2009, where he is currently a Professor of Radiology, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, Division Director of Nuclear Medicine, and Director of the PET Center. Scott’s group is involved in all aspects of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences including i) developing new methods for radiolabeling bioactive molecules, ii) designing and translating new radiotracers for PET neuroimaging, iii) cGMP radiopharmaceutical manufacture and iv) adapting new technology (e.g. artificial intelligence) to imagine the radiochemistry laboratory of the future. Peter has published over 195 papers and 30 book chapters, about 250 conference abstracts and edited 5 books. He has received numerous awards for his research including, most recently, the 2023 Sam Gambhir Trailblazer Award from SNMMI, and is listed as an inventor on multiple patents. His laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health, and has multiple collaborations with academic institutions, biotech and pharma companies all over the world.

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