Co-inventor of EXPLORER earns prestigious national radiology award

(SACRAMENTO)

Ramsey Badawi, UC Davis professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Radiology, has been selected to receive the 2021 Distinguished Investigator Award from the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research (the Academy).  The prestigious honor recognizes Badawi for outstanding contributions to the field of medical imaging after he co-invented EXPLORER, a total body scanner that provides images of the entire body in seconds.

UC Davis professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Radiology Ramsey Badawi to receive the 2021 Distinguished Investigator Award.
UC Davis professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Radiology Ramsey Badawi to receive the 2021 Distinguished Investigator Award.

EXPLORER is revolutionizing how cancers and other diseases are studied and diagnosed by measuring cancer metabolism in the body and investigating systemic inflammatory responses in patients. This helps develop targeted cancer treatment.

“I am very honored to join the ranks of the Academy’s Distinguished Investigator Award recipients,” said Badawi. “Imaging research is an exciting field with huge potential to help us in the cancer fight.”

A total of 35 researchers were selected to receive the award this year, which Academy Executive Director Renee L. Cruea said will advance medical imaging knowledge in immeasurable ways.

“Honoring these individuals is one of our most rewarding annual highlights,” said Cruea. “We are excited to be able to recognize them in person this year and look forward to thanking them for advancing radiology research through their many achievements.”

Badawi and other honorees will be invited to a formal induction into the Academy’s Council of Distinguished Investigators this fall during the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.  The ceremony and celebration will take place in person at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. 

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region of more than 6 million people. Its specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 15,000 adults and children every year and access to more than 150 active clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research program engages more than 225 scientists at UC Davis who work collaboratively to advance discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat cancer. Patients have access to leading-edge care, including immunotherapy and other targeted treatments. Its Office of Community Outreach and Engagement addresses disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations, and the cancer center provides comprehensive education and workforce development programs for the next generation of clinicians and scientists. For more information, visit cancer.ucdavis.edu.