2008 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowships Announced

Main Category: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Seniors / Aging;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 07 Oct 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Four Japanese researchers were awarded the 2008 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship and are currently studying in the United States through 2010 as part of the two-year program.

These scholars are Kenji Fukushima, Tokyo Women's Medical College, undertaking a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University; Tomohiro Kaneta, Tohoku University Hospital, studying at the University of Washington, Seattle; Ryo Nakazato, Toho University, studying at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; and Soichiro Shimuzu, Tokyo Medical University, currently at the University of California, San Francisco. These fellows will study and perform novel work in nuclear cardiology, neurology, gerontology and other fields of molecular imaging.

Applications for the next round of presentations of the prestigious SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship - which provides extensive training and experience in the fields of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging for Japanese physicians in the early stages of their career - are now available online and will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2009.

The goals of the two-year fellowship, named after Henry Wagner and Kanji Torizuka, are to provide experience and training for young Japanese physician researchers in the areas of cardiology, neurology and oncology. The program is designed to advance the research and clinical expertise of practicing physicians by facilitating professional development and equipping them to make significant contributions toward advancing nuclear medicine in Japan. This unique fellowship, inaugurated in 2008 and sponsored Nihon Medi-Physics Co., Ltd., Japan, provides selected fellows with an annual stipend of U.S. $24,000.

"For almost half a century, Japanese physicians and scientists have studied nuclear medicine in the United States," said Henry Wagner, M.D., professor emeritus of medicine and radiology at John Hopkins University. "This fellowship is a step toward ensuring that this outstanding cross-cultural relationship will thrive far into the future of the quickly evolving field of molecular imaging."

"This fellowship is designed to prepare today's young scientists to lead the way tomorrow," said Kanji Torizuka, M.D., Ph.D., professor emeritus at Kyoto University and Fukui Medical University. "This program underscores the importance of collaboration with our colleagues in the United States and the value of working across borders to help advance nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. We value our long-standing friendship with our colleagues in the United States and are delighted to continue the established and important tradition of inter-institutional research."

Wagner is a long-time member of SNM who has served in numerous leadership roles with the society. Torizuka is an emeritus member of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine.

Four SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellows are currently studying in the United States through 2010 as part of a two-year fellowship. These scholars are Kenji Fukushima, Tokyo Women's Medical College, undertaking a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University; Tomohiro Kaneta, Tohoku University Hospital, studying at the University of Washington, Seattle; Ryo Nakazato, Toho University, studying at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; and Soichiro Shimuzu, Tokyo Medical University, currently at the University of California, San Francisco. These fellows will study and perform novel work in nuclear cardiology, neurology, gerontology and other fields of molecular imaging.

"Now more than ever, international scholarly collaboration is critical to our ability to study and understand the underlying causes of disease," added Wagner, a pioneer in the field of nuclear medicine. "Through molecular imaging techniques, physicians can more accurately diagnose and better treat many serious conditions, from neurological dysfunction to cancer. This fellowship supports the achievable goal of individualized medicine, which will allow physicians to provide optimized care for each and every patient."

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Applications and further information about requirements for the 2009-2011 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship are available online at http://www.snm.org/grants.

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 http://www.snm.org/.

Source: Amy Shaw
Society of Nuclear Medicine