TORONTO—Millions of heart attack patients and other potential sufferers who have undergone a noninvasive nuclear imaging test with the isotope technetium-99 can thank three innovators—Alan Davison, Ph.D.; Alun G. Jones, Ph.D.; and Michael J. Abrams, Ph.D.—all of whom received SNM's 2009 Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award. The award for contributions to the nuclear medicine profession was presented in Toronto during the 56th Annual Meeting of SNM, the world's largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.
Davison, professor emeritus of chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., and Jones, a professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass., began a systematic exploration of the basic chemistry of technetium in 1976. They wanted to identify chemical properties that could be useful in the design of imaging agents incorporating the short-lived isotope Tc-99m, which has become established as the workhorse of diagnostic imaging in clinical nuclear medicine. In 1981, these investigators, together with Abrams who was then a graduate student in Davison's laboratory, discovered a new class of technetium complexes that showed localization in cardiac tissue after intravenous administration. This led directly to the development of the myocardial perfusion imaging agent—known by the trade names of Cardiolite or Sestamibi—which made assessment of the amount of blood-perfusing (flowing) heart muscle possible under conditions of rest and stress. With it, nuclear stress tests can be performed not only on people who are already complaining of heart attack symptoms but also on people who are at risk for a heart attack but have not shown any signs—allowing millions to receive better and potentially lifesaving diagnosis and treatment.
Davison, who came to MIT in 1964, is a fellow of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom's national academy of science. Davison, the recipient of many awards, the co-inventor of numerous patents and author of more than 250 publications, received his doctorate in chemistry from the Imperial College of Science and Technology. He continues to evaluate potential agents and the biological distribution of new technetium complexes in collaboration with Jones—with the expectation that as the chemistry of technetium continues to emerge, it will be possible to develop new technetium radiopharmaceutical agents.
Jones, an SNM member, is currently director of the radiopharmaceutical chemistry section at Harvard Medical School's Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Medicine. He received his doctorate in nuclear chemistry from the University of Liverpool and, following postdoctoral positions in Amsterdam and then MIT, joined Harvard in 1971. With Davison, he has several patents and has been the recipient of several awards (most shared with Davison). Jones has more than 200 publications, and his research interests continue to be in the development of new radiodiagnostic agents and novel applications of radioactive compounds to medical problems. In 1993, Davison and Jones shared SNM's Paul C. Aebersold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Science Applied to Nuclear Medicine.
Abrams, of Custer, Wash., has been active in the research, discovery and development of pharmaceuticals for more than 25 years. He serves as a director on the boards of Tekmira, Indel Therapeutics, the Centre for Drug Research and Development and Vida Therapeutics. Abrams, who has a doctorate in chemistry from MIT, founded AnorMED and was its president and chief executive officer for 10 years. He is a co-inventor of several products currently in clinical trials, is an inventor on 25 patents and has authored more than 60 scientific articles.
Each year, SNM presents the Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Medicine Pioneer Award to an individual for outstanding contributions to the field of nuclear medicine. De Hevesy received the 1943 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work in determining the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of radioactive compounds in the human body. His work led to the foundation of nuclear medicine as a tool for diagnosis and therapy; he is considered the father of nuclear medicine. SNM has given the de Hevesy Award every year since 1960 to honor groundbreaking work in the field of nuclear medicine.
About SNM—Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy
SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best health care possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of today's medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated.
SNM's more than 17,000 members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit www.snm.org.