Women in Molecular Imaging Network (WIMIN) Interest Group: Leadership

WIMIN Leadership

Dr. Una Goncin is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Merck & Co. in South San Francisco, where where focuses on imaging biomarker develop in animal models of human diseases using multimodality imaging techniques. She received her PhD in Health Sciences from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) in March 2025. Her research involved the development of contrast agents for preclinical ultrasound and PET imaging for disease identification and monitoring of intestinal inflammation. She previously received her B.Sc Honours in Biology in 2017 focusing on research wildlife ecology and population genetics of native snake, fish and turtle species in Saskatchewan. Throughout her BSc and PhD, she has accumulated 10+ years of broad research experience and 4+ years of clinical research management. With a passion for collaboration, Una has contributed to 16 publications in peer-reviewed journals, spanning wildlife ecology and genetics, virology, medical education, and molecular imaging. In addition to her academic pursuits, Una actively engages in science communication participating and organizing outreach initiatives, offering educational sessions on native species, and organizing annual Science Rendezvous events, Science Outreach program in community school classrooms and the Museum of Natural Sciences.

Olga Eremina completed PhD in Chemistry from the Lomonosov Moscow State University in 2019. Currently, she is an Agilent Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences at the University of Southern California. Olga works on the development of molecular imaging strategies enabling identification of tumor margins and multiplexed deep interrogation of tissues. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging at subcellular resolution can facilitate uncovering pathology insights, formulating the right therapeutic strategies, and revealing new prognostic and predictive biomarker correlations. In her work, Olga applies SERS nanoparticle-based contrast agents which provide unsurpassed molecular specificity and quantitative multiplexing capabilities. Olga is grateful to her mentors and is herself passionate about mentoring and supporting women in STEM. Through her involvement in WIMIN interest group, Olga aims to promote female scientists and other minorities in science.

Dr. Zinia Mohanta is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine in Baltimore MD. Her research interests include nanomaterials based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement, small molecule based chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI contrast agents and CEST MR imaging using MRI reporter genes. During her PhD, she designed a new methodology for engineering graphene oxide (GO) surface chemistry and discovered the effect of oxidation degree of GO on its nuclear relaxivity using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and MRI.
Her current work focuses on methodical assessment of the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and organ toxicity of Imidazole-4,5-dicarboxamide-diglutamate (I45DC-diGlu) for evaluating its synthetic adaptability in adjusting proton exchange properties and biodistribution for specific biomedical applications compared to the contemporary iodinated agents. Concurrently, her endeavors extend to the development of an innovative approach for labeling recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) with an MRI reporter gene. The initiative involves CEST imaging to assess CEST reporter gene expression, utilizing a mouse model of methylmalonic acidemia (MMA).
Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. Mohanta currently serves as the co-president of the Johns Hopkins Postdoctoral Association (JHPDA) and holds a position on the board of Directors at the JHUSOM Institute of Excellence in Education. She is the recipient of WIMIN Scholar award at the World Molecular Imaging Conference 2023 and the Young Investigator award at the 2nd Alavi Bradley on Molecular Imaging and Theranostics 2023. She has also received the Career Impact Award 2023 from the Johns Hopkins University PHutures Office for her commitment to professional advocacy and mentorship excellence. She aims to contribute to WIMIN’s mission and leverage her experiences to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in molecular imaging.

Dr. Lacey McNally received her Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While at UAB, she was awarded a K99 grant from NIH. Dr. McNally was an Assistant Professor at the University of Louisville and an Associate Professor at Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center where she also served as Co-Leader of the Signaling and Biotechnology Program (CCSG). Currently, she is a Professor, Stephenson Chair in Cancer Imaging, and Co-Leader of Cancer Therapeutics at the Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma. Dr. McNally is a Standing member of the Imaging Probes and Contrast Agents study section. She teaches a grant writing course for graduate students and post doctoral fellows. Dr. McNally has been continuously funded by NIH for the last 13 years and her work focuses on development of contrast agents, nano-drug delivery systems, and translation of optoacoustic imaging into the clinic. She has an active laboratory and mentors undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, clinical residents and fellows as well as visiting science scholars. Dr. McNally is the PI of two investigator-initiated clinical trials and largely focuses her research in recalcitrant cancers.

Izabela Tworowska serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of RadioMedix. She obtained her MSc in Clinical Pharmacy from Medical University in Poland and her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Polish Academy of Science in 2001. She completed the pre-doctoral training at Goethe University (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) and post-doctoral training in biochemistry and structural biology at Rice University (Houston, TX). Her research focuses on the radiochemistry, pre-clinical validation, and clinical studies of radiotheranostic drugs that target solid tumors (NETs, glioblastoma, PDAC, hepatocellular carcinoma) with special interest in targeted alpha-emitter therapy. She is leading the R&D and translational program at RadioMedix.

Alita D Almeida is a third year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis and a graduate student researcher with the Chaudhari lab at the Department of Radiology. She is an aspiring medical physicist, and her research is primarily in preclinical neuroimaging with projects in developing methods for analysis of MRI and PET scans in rodents, titi monkeys and rhesus macaques as well as in the development of methods to quantify imaging data. Alita obtained her undergraduate degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from India and her undergraduate research was in micro-electromechanical systems for tuberculosis detection. She also has industry experience specializing in Embedded Systems. Alita is a member of the Biomedical Engineering Student Association (BESA) where she co-chairs the BESA Publicity and Recruitment divisions and is also a mentor to incoming graduate students. She is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments and advocating for equitable opportunities for everyone.

Apurva Pandey is a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of California, San Francisco in the department of radiology and biomedical imaging. Currently, she is working on testing various novel small molecules and antibody probes as potential diagnostic probes different infections and cancer models. She obtained her B.Sc.(H) and M.Sc. at the University of Delhi, India. In 2021, she received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stony Brook University, New York, under the supervision of Dr. Eszter Boros. During her Ph.D. she worked on developing, synthesizing, and testing metallo-siderophore-antibiotic conjugates as theranostic probes for bacterial infections. Apurva is an experienced radiochemist and interests in taking imaging probes from bench to bedside. She is a recipient of the Jon Rudick Memorial Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student (2021-2022) and Women In Molecular Imaging Network (WIMIN) Scholar Award (2022). Apurva is extremely grateful for the constant support provided by her mentors throughout her academic career. Through her role in WIMIN, she aims to provide the same support to other underrepresented women in
the field on molecular imaging.

Bao Ying Chen is currently a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Anna Wu in the Immunology and Theranostics department at the City of Hope-Beckman Research Institute. Bao completed her PhD training at University of California-Los Angeles in the lab of Dr. Peter Clark where she worked on developing and evaluating metabolic PET imaging strategies to investigate and target immune activation in autoimmunity. Currently, she is investigating the use of targeted radioimmunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Broadly, her research interests include molecular imaging, antibody engineering, cancer, and autoimmunity. Bao is grafteful for all the inspiring mentors that she has met throughout her science career and is hoping to be able to pass on what she learned to others.

Bian Jang is a fifth-year PhD student in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate researcher with the Dr. Tsourkas lab. She is a highly motivated engineer and her research is focused on developing new magnetic devices to accelerate the accumulation and penetration of nanoparticles into deeply seeded tumors. Her goal is to improve both imaging contrast and treatment efficacy for cancer patients.
Bian has extensive experience in conducting both in vitro and in vivo experiments, as well as in various molecular imaging modalities, nano drug delivery, and laser-based cancer therapy. She obtained her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Pukyong National University in South Korea, where she was involved in research in diverse fields such as photoacoustic imaging, immunotherapy, and osteomyelitis through collaborations. Her exposure to these different research fields has broadened her knowledge base and allowed her to apply interdisciplinary approaches to her current research.
As a member of the WIMIN leadership committee, Bian is committed to creating an inclusive environment and supporting the motivation and potential of female professionals.

Dr. Zhu is a postdoctoral fellow at Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Her research expertise includes molecular imaging, drug discovery, biochemistry, drug delivery system, and pharmaceutical science.
Biyue completed her B.S. degree from Sichuan University at 2015. She continued her study at Sichuan University and received Ph.D degree at the year of 2020. During her Ph.D study, she joined Martinos Center as an exchange Ph.D student under the supervision of Dr. Chongzhao Ran. She received intensive training in drug discovery and molecular imaging for neurodegenerative diseases. After graduation, Biyue continued her research at Martinos Center as a postdoctoral fellow.
During her study, she led several projects and collaborated with multi-discipline teams. She has developed optical imaging probes and discovered new drugs targeting biomarkers including amyloid-beta, tau, alpha-synuclein, prion, and TDP-43 proteins. She has received Young Investigator Award from Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (2020), Travel Award, and WIMIN Award from World Molecular Imaging Congress (2017; 2020, and 2022).
Biyue is proud of her role as a female scientist and also enjoys her role as a dance artist after work. She has participated in dance activities at Harvard Community. She also volunteered as a dance teacher for young students and an artist for dance filming.
Biyue believes that diversity can foster creativity, share love, and guide us to a better future. She has participated in the WIMIN workshop and discussed with others about diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is grateful to the WIMIN community, which recognizes her work and supports her in pursuing her career as a female scientist. Biyue believes in the power of women and is dedicated to sharing her experience, contributing to the society, and encouraging other women scientists to join our science community.

My research interests surround the use of molecular imaging to non-invasively probe tumor evolution, and the biological validation of in vivo imaging signals, to advance our knowledge on which imaging metrics provide the most useful insight into the underlying tumor biology. During my Ph.D in Cambridge, UK, my work focused on photoacoustic imaging of breast cancer mouse models. I was awarded the WIMIN Scholar Award in both 2021 and 2022 and came runner-up in the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute thesis prize in 2020/21. Whilst studying for my Ph.D, I acted as Deputy Laboratory Manager, Public Outreach Coordinator and mentored undergraduate and masters students.
Before my Ph.D I gained a BSc. Bioveterinary Sciences from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. In-between the second and final year of my undergraduate course, I completed an Industrial Placement Year at GlaxoSmithKline (Stevenage, UK) and was lucky enough to experience research in an industry environment here.
After completing a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis, I moved back to the UK and now work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, focussed on using pre-clinical PET and other imaging modalities to probe local and systemic changes in metabolism during tumor development.
Outside of the lab I love to sing and was a Wolfson College Choral Scholar during my time in Cambridge.
I joined the WIMIN committee after feeling inspired and empowered at previous fireside chats and other WIMIN networking-events and want to give back and serve on the committee, to support women and minorities in this field. I want to help WIMIN reach UK and European audiences, to continue to increase the diversity of those involved.

Ivis F. Chaple Gore is an Assistant Professor in the Nuclear Engineering department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her research focuses on the development and characterization of novel radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging of various disease states, such as cancer. In 2021, she received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry through the Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, under the mentorship of Dr. Suzanne E. Lapi. Ivis then completed a postdoctoral research associate position at Los Alamos National Laboratory, under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Fassbender, which she completed in 2022. At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Ivis is working to develop a radiochemistry program, with a focus on nuclear medicine applications.

Dr. Maryam Hajfathalian is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at NJIT, whose research focuses on the development, synthesis, and characterization of theranostic nanomaterials to detect and treat cancer and infectious diseases. She was a postdoctoral research scholar at the School of Medicine at Stanford University, Division of Infectious Diseases, and the University of Pennsylvania, Radiology Department, under the mentorship of Professors Paul Bollyky and David Cormode. Her achievements include receiving an NIH NIBIB K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, a Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Grant, and various recognitions such as a Science Slam Presentation Award, a First Place Poster Presentation Award, and the WIMIN Scholar Award in World Molecular Imaging Conferences. Despite her professional achievements, Dr. Hajfathalian also embraces the role of motherhood, acknowledging the challenges of balancing academic pursuits with family responsibilities. She is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in academia and industry, viewing teaching, and mentoring as vital opportunities to support the educational goals and personal growth of females and underrepresented minorities. Actively involved in organizations like WIMIN, she seeks to learn from others’ experiences, share valuable networks with colleagues and students, and contribute to the advancement of women in molecular imaging and beyond.

Dr. Chaumeil is an Associate Professor in Residence in the department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science and Radiology & Biomedical Imaging at UCSF, a faculty member of three graduate programs (UCSF/UC Berkeley BioEngineering; UCSF Biomedical Science and UCSF Rehabilitation Science), and an investigator in the Quantitative Biosciences Institute. Her research focuses on developing new neuroimaging methods to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis or vascular dementia. She is a Junior Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and has been recently elected on the board of the ISMRM Hyperpolarized Study group. In addition to her research, she serves as the Faculty Chair of the UCSF LGBTQ committee, as a core member of the Academic Senate Committee on Research as well as several other committees. Dr. Chaumeil grew up in the south of France, and received her engineer degree and her PhD degree in Paris as a First Gen, before moving across the world to California to join UCSF. In WIMIN, she is interested in being involved in helping mentor women students and faculty, and in improving current climate around diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as discussing prospects on gender equity in STEM.

Dr. Nivin N. Nyström completed her PhD training in the Department of Biophysics at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. Her PhD focused on developing an MRI reporter gene to track spontaneous metastases in animal models with high sensitivity and high resolution. During this time, she also worked on photoacoustic imaging and MR contrast agent development. Dr. Nyström defended her thesis “A Genetically-Encoded Reporter for In Vivo Imaging in Deep Tissues” in 2020, and in 2021 was elected Junior Fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM). That same year, she drove cross-continent to Southern California where she currently resides as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Caltech, working with Professor Mikhail Shapiro. Her current research is supported by a Life Science Research Foundation (LSRF) fellowship, and is focused on engineering acoustic reporter genes with directed evolution. More personally, Dr. Nyström believes in actively fostering equity and inclusivity to tackle biases against marginalized individuals and to acknowledge their true talents, and that doing so would elevate and accelerate the scientific advancement of human society as a whole.

Yingying received her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in 2019 at Peking University, when she worked on near-infrared luminescent lanthanide complexes. After that, she joined the group of Professor Peter Caravan at Harvard Medical School in Boston as a postdoctoral fellow, where she worked on metal-based MRI contrast agents for imaging fibrogenesis and fibrosis. Now, Yingying is a new PI at the South China University of Technology and establishing her own lab (from 2023). Her research interest lies at developing metal based molecular probes for early detection of diseases and track treatment response. Yingying was awarded the “Young Investigator Award” at 2021 WMIC, “YIA Runner up” at 2022 WMIC, and also two years of WIMIN Scholar Award. Yingying hope to serve on the WIMIN Leadership committee to support other trainees and early-stage young investigators.

Dr. Marquez-Nostra is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2023 – present). Her research focuses on radiopharmaceutical development for imaging cancer and its microenvironment. She also collaborates with industry and clinicians to translate imaging agents to clinical studies. Dr. Marquez-Nostra began her scientific career with a B.S. in Biochemistry from California State University, Fullerton (2005) and earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis (2011) under the mentorship of Prof. Claude Meares. She then delved into radiochemistry and cancer imaging during her postdoctoral training at Washington University in St. Louis (2012-2017) under the mentorship of Prof. Suzanne Lapi and Dr. Farrokh Dehdashti, where she contributed to the translation of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-trastuzumab for PET imaging of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Securing an ERF-SNMMI postdoctoral grant and a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence award granted the opportunity to obtain an Assistant Professor position at the Yale PET Center, where she established a Cancer Imaging and Therapeutics research program and was awarded several grants for her research projects. Finally, she is committed to mentoring students, postdocs, staff, and junior faculty.

Dr. Doreen Lau is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at Brunel University London College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, and visiting researcher at University of Cambridge Department of Radiology. She holds a PhD in Radiology from University of Cambridge and as a Cancer Research UK and Cambridge Trust scholar, focusing on the clinical translation of molecular imaging techniques and imaging biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy. She received postgraduate training from the Imperial College London Cancer Imaging Centre and Institute of Chemical Biology and was a former scientist at A*STAR Singapore and University of Oxford.

Doreen has won several international prizes for her work on immuno-oncology imaging and experimental medicine. These include the 1st Place ISMRM William G. Negendank Young Investigator Award for oncological MRI, WMIS Women in Molecular Imaging Network Scholar Award and Top 3 ESMI PhD Award. She is the current Chair of British yESMI group of the European Society for Molecular Imaging for early career professionals in molecular imaging.

As a young woman scientist who moved from Singapore to the UK, Doreen is an advocate for women, minority and early career scientists. She is excited to join the WIMIN leadership committee and contribute to efforts in empowering women scientists and encouraging equality, diversity and inclusivity in the imaging community. Doreen has a background in fine arts, performing arts and entrepreneurship. She enjoys drawing, music and hiking during her free time.

Dr. Johana Carolina M. Vega Leonel, holding a PhD in NeuroEngineering and Tissue Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializes in neural network formation and revascularization. Currently, she enriches Stanford University as a Teaching College Fellow, delivering courses such as “Living with Viruses,” “The Cancer Problem,” and her newly accredited Neuroengineering course, “Opening the hood of our brains.” Beyond academia, she co-founded Astute Crew LLC, offering consultancy to startups in Medical Devices and Neuroscience/Neuroengineering, alongside providing technical due diligence for Venture Capital firms. Her distinguished career includes roles as an NSF and NSF-IGERT fellow, leading independent interdisciplinary projects, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford’s Neurosurgery Department, working closely with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories on neural network chips. Additionally, as a mentorship chair on the executive team of the MIPS Trainees Council at Stanford, she plays a crucial role in fostering the next generation of leaders in her field. Dr. Vega’s collaborative efforts extend across Neurosurgery and Radiology departments, underpinning her multifaceted expertise. Her foundational education in Biotechnology was earned at Oglethorpe University and Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dr. Natalia Herrero Alvarez is a Research Associate in the Department of Radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research. She conducted her undergraduate education in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, and received her masters in Medicinal Chemistry at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Natalia undertook an industrial placement in the Drug Discovery team at Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel, Switzerland before she completed her PhD in Organic Chemistry & Chemical Biology at the University of Glasgow, UK.
In her current position she focuses on developing molecular entities for targeted nuclear imaging and therapy of cancer. In 2023 Natalia was recognized as the “Ones to Watch” by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. She has regularly been involved in outreach activities to make science accessible to younger generations, particularly those from underrepresented groups . Natalia is committed to help advance the opportunities of women in the STEM field and close the gender gap. She is excited to be part of WMIN and hopes to contribute and strengthen this network.

Ning Lu is currently a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, working with Dr. Katherine Ferrara on volumetric ultrasound imaging. Previously, she received a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Scientific Computing from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, in 2023, focusing on MR-guided histotripsy for noninvasive brain treatment. She gained a B.S.E. degree (highest honors) in Biomedical Engineering from Southeast University, Nanjing, China, in 2018. Her research interests include ultrasound therapy, ultrasound imaging, medical instrumentation, and AI in healthcare.

Dr Shehzahdi Shebbrin Moonshi is an Early Career Research Fellow at the Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, in Associate Professor Hang Ta group, Griffith University. Her projects are focused on the development of targeted theranostic nanomaterials for cardiovascular and cancerous diseases. She was awarded the GU Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme (2023-2024), 2022 Advancing Women’s Research Success Grant and New Researcher Grant in Griffith University for her research project and has produced 27 publications. She completed her PhD at University of Queensland, Australia. Her research interest is in the design and application of molecular imaging agents and drug delivery systems based on metal oxide and biocompatible polymers accompanied with the utilisation of multimodal imaging system such as MRI and Photoacoustic imaging.

Lisa Wells, PhD, Invicro

Dr. Thomas received her bachelor’s degree from MIT and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Her research program develops molecular imaging agents and biomarkers that can profile immune cell dynamics, inflammation, metabolism and their interaction with a focus on those visualized using magnetic resonance or optical methods. Outside of the laboratory, she also serves on the youth editorial board of Health and Metabolism. She is passionate about increasing engagement with and championing the needs of underrepresented and young scientists in the molecular and imaging fields and looks forward to strategizing and coordinating these pursuits with the members and leaders of WIMIN.

Dr. Behnaz Ghaemi is a Research Scientist at the Molecular Imaging Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), US National Institute of Health, where she focuses on developing radiotracers for immuno-Theranostics to improve the diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Her work centers on targeting the tumor microenvironment to advance precision medicine in cancer care.

Previously, Dr. Ghaemi was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Radiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine (2021-2024), where she contributed to identifying novel molecular and cellular targets for tumor Theranostics. Her research efforts have laid the groundwork for innovative imaging and therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Ghaemi earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, graduating as the top-ranked student in her program (2020). She is passionate about advancing cancer research through translational approaches that have the potential to make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes.

Her recent achievements include receiving the Young Investigator Award from the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS, 2022), the Women in Molecular Imaging Science Award from the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM, 2023), and the Early-Stage Investigator Award from the Alavi-Bradley Symposium in both 2023 and 2024, recognizing her significant contributions to the field of molecular imaging and cancer research.

Elizabeth Kras received her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from University at Buffalo in 2023. Her PhD research focused on the development of novel iron-based macrocyclic compounds for use as MRI contrast agents. Currently, she is a Postdoctoral Scholar under the mentorship of Dr. Aisling Chaney in the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis. Her current research focuses on the development and assessment of novel neuro-PET radiotracers to investigate the inflammatory component of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, she is involved in projects evaluating existing inflammatory radiotracers in different models of neuroinflammation. Mentorship and guidance from amazing female professors, scientists, and teachers has largely helped Elizabeth find her way throughout her scientific journey and she is extremely passionate about providing that for the next generation of female scientists.

Hieu is currently a T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford University. She completed her Ph.D. training at UT Austin, focusing on optical-based interventions for early-stage cancer detection and therapy. Her work included developing a fiber-based spectroscopy device for tumor resection guidance and applying nano-second high-energy laser pulses to induce immunogenic cell death in breast cancer cells. At Stanford University, she is developing novel approaches for single-cell tracking in vivo using Positron Emission Tomography. Her long-term commitment is to advance and adapt these technologies for biomedical applications, such as studying cancer metastasis, tracking therapeutic immune cells, and investigating cancer hemodynamics. Through her role in WIMIN, Hieu is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women to thrive in the field of molecular imaging.

Madhavi is a highly motivated researcher with a strong background in biomedical imaging and interdisciplinary research. Currently based at Johns Hopkins University, her work focuses on enhancing imaging technologies to enable early and accurate disease detection. She holds a PhD in Materials Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and an integrated master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Allahabad.

With expertise in combining materials science, imaging technologies, and biomedical applications, Madhavi’s research explores innovative solutions to critical healthcare challenges. Her academic and professional journey reflects her proficiency in experimental techniques, imaging modalities, and data analysis, alongside her commitment to innovation and collaboration. Driven by a passion for advancing science, Madhavi aims to contribute to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools that improve patient care and outcomes. She is dedicated to leveraging her multidisciplinary expertise to make meaningful impacts in the fields of biomedical imaging and cancer research.

Samantha Reyes is a Biomedical Physics graduate student at Stanford University and a recipient of the prestigious Bio-X Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship. Samantha began her PhD nearly 10 years after earning her bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology at UC Irvine and has over a decade of training in neuroimaging. She has extensive experience in developing, evaluating, and translating new neuroPET radiotracers, conducting receptor occupancy studies, pharmacokinetic modeling, and performing molecular biology validations (including IHC, WB, qPCR, and FACS). She also has proficiency in MRI spectroscopy imaging in neonatal mice. Her thesis research is focused on developing new PET imaging approaches for detecting and tracking immune cells in the context of CNS diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and stroke. At Stanford, Samantha is an active member of the MIPS Trainee Council and contributes to outreach initiatives like Stanford BioPeers, Stanford Penpals, Stanford Biobuds, Science is Elementary and is a judge for the California Science and Engineering Fair.

Samantha took a nonlinear path to her PhD, beginning her program as a mature student with two young children at home who she loves spending time with while also balancing her love for research. She is honored to serve on the WIMIN committee and is passionate about supporting other women, especially those in science who are raising families or planning to start one.

Huadan Xue

Alumni

Katherine Ferrara, PhD – Inaugural Recipient of the WIMIN Outstanding Leadership in Molecular Imaging Award; Founding Chair 2012, Founding Member

Anna Wu, PhD – Past Chair 2013, Founding Member

Anna Moore, PhD –Past Chair 2014-2015, Founding Member

Anne Menkens, PhD – Secretary 2011-2018, Founding Member

Julie Sutcliffe, PhD – Past Chair 2016-2017, WMIS President 2020, WMIS Co-President 2021

Naomi Matsuura, PhD, P. Eng – Past Chair 2018

Melissa Moore, PhD – Past Chair 2019

Monica Shokeen, MBA, PhD – Past Chair 2020

Jennifer Murphy, PhD – Past Chair 2021

Michelle James, PhD – Co Secretary 2021

Gunilla Jacobson, PhD – Co Secretary 2021

Aisling Chaney, PhD – Chair 2022

Kelly Henry, PhD – Chair 2023

Mirkka Sarparanta, PhD – Secretary 2023

Nerissa Viola, PhD – Chair 2024

Quan Zhou, PhD – Co Chair 2024

Carolyn Bayer, PhD

Heike Daldrup-Link, MD, PhD

Karen Alt, PhD

Susanne Kossatz, PhD

Rong Zhou, PhD

Hang Ta, PhD

Xiaowei Wang, PhD

Ashley Knight, MSc

Kayla Bowers, BS

Fay Nicolson, PhD

Paula Foster, PhD

Patricia Pereira, PhD

Nimmi Ramanujam, PhD

Dima Hammoud, PhD

Nan Li, PhD

Savita Dhanvantari, PhD

Carmen Azevedo, BS

Sarah Burris, PhD

Lilja Solnes, MD

Anna Christensen, PhD

Filipa Mota, PhD

Srivalleesha Mallidi, PhD

Laura Lechermann, PhD

Caitlin Tressler, PhD

Gabriela Kramer-Marek, PhD

WIMIN Leadership

Una Goncin, PhD, Chair

Olga Eremina, PhD, Co-Chair

Zinia Mohanta, PhD

Lacey McNally, PhD

Izabela Tworowska, PhD

Alita D Almeida

Apurva Pandey, PhD

Bao Ying Chen, PhD

Bian Jang

Biyue Zhu, PhD

Emma Brown, PhD

Ivis F. Chaple Gore, PhD

Maryam Hajfathalian, PhD

Myriam Chaumeil, PhD

Nivin N. Nyström, PhD

Yingying Ning, PhD

Bernadette Marquez-Nostra, PhD

Doreen Lau, PhD

Johana Carolina M. Vega Leonel, PhD

Natalia Herrero Alvarez, PhD

Ning Lu, PhD

Shehzahdi Shebbrin Moonshi, PhD

Aline Thomas

Behnaz Ghaemi

Elizabeth Kras

Hieu Nguyen

Madhavi Tripathi

Samantha Reyes

Alumni