A pioneer in nuclear medicine and past president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Henry N. Wagner Jr., MD, has spent nearly five decades helping to define and promote the specialty. His groundbreaking work in the applications of nuclear medicine to pulmonary and coronary artery disease and his studies of brain chemistry with radiolabeled tracers have led to significant advances in these fields.

Dr. Wagner is the director of the Division of Radiation Health Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he has worked since 1958. He is a professor emeritus of radiology and radiological sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a professor of environmental health sciences at the School of Hygiene and Public Health.

While attending Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Wagner completed his bachelor's degree, medical degree, internship and residency. In 1955, he accepted a clinical associate position with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). After participating in a special fellowship in London, he returned to Johns Hopkins as an instructor and chief medical resident of the Osler Medical Service.

Dr. Wagner's contributions to nuclear medicine have brought him numerous honors and awards, and he has three honorary degrees. In 1972, Dr. Wagner was the recipient of the First Vikram Surhabel Gold Medal from the Society of Nuclear Medicine of India, and in 1993 he received the First Annual Society of Nuclear Medicine President's Award for outstanding contributions to nuclear medicine.

An internationally renowned expert in nuclear medicine, Dr. Wagner serves as a consultant and advisor to a number of scientiic, policy and legislatie bodies. He is an advisory expert for the Network of World Health Organization Collaborating Centres and a member of the NIH Ad Hoc Advisory Board on PET. He is also a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Panel for Radiology Devices and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Wagner is a consultant in nuclear medicine to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and a national consultant in nuclear medicine to the Surgeon General of the United States.
 

A prolific researcher and writer, Dr. Wagner is author or co-author of more than 800 publications, including peer-reviewed journal articles, books and chapters. He is a member of several editorial boards and many medical and radiological societies, and an honorary member of the British Institute of Radiology (2000).

David J. Yang, PhD.
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

David J. Yang, Ph.D., is a Professor  in the Department of Experimental Nuclear Medicine and the Director of Pharmaceutical Development at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. In addition, Dr. Yang has a dual appointment as an Associate Professor with The University of Houston School of Pharmacy and The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Prior to this position, Dr. Yang was Assistant Professor and Assistant Chemist of Nuclear Medicine at M.D. Anderson. Dr. Yang has spearheaded research in developing new radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. He is a world-recognized expert in radiopharmacology. Dr. Yang has extensively published in the area of radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy. He has published more than 75 articles and books, holds 34 patents and has presented at more than 100 conferences worldwide. An essential part of Dr. Yang's current R&D effort is in the development of new functional radiological contrast materials and internal radiotherapeutics for NuclearMedicine. Dr. Yang holds a Ph.D. from Northeast Louisiana University in Medicinal Chemistry and a B.S. from Taipei Medical College in Pharmacy.

Tony Yu, M.D.
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Tony Yu, M.D., is a Research Associate in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, T.X.. Dr. Yu has worked and co-developed chemotherapy agents and radiopharmaceuticals with Dr. Yang. Dr. Yu has published more than 45 articles and holds 12 patents. He received his medical degree from the University of China.

Saad Zakko, M.D.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dubai Hospital

Dr. Saad Zakko has been the Director of Nuclear Medicine at Dubai Hospital since 1986. Present positions for Dr. Zakko include IAEA expert (International Atomic Energy Agency), Vienna, Senior Lecturer, Dubai Medical College, Member of the Editorial Board, World Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Member of the International Counsil, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and Adjunct Faculty Member, College of Health Sciences, Sharjah University. Dr. Zakko received his M.B.ChB from Baghdad Medical College and MSc. Nuclear Medicine from St. Thomas Hospital London, U.K. In February 2005, Dr. Zakko was the receipient of the Specialist Achievement Award for Imaging presented by Arab Health Awards 2005.