LOS ANGELES -- Martin G. Pomper, MD, PhD, known for his pioneering work in molecular imaging and the development of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted agents, was awarded the Benedict Cassen Prize during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2026 Annual Meeting. The honor is awarded every two years by the Education and Research Foundation (ERF) for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in recognition of outstanding achievement and work leading to a major advance in nuclear medicine science.
"Dr. Pomper has dedicated his career to advancing the molecular imaging and therapy of cancer and diseases of the central nervous system," said ERF President Peter S. Conti, MD, PhD. "We honor his work and his extensive contributions to the field."
During a special plenary session at SNMMI s Annual Meeting, Pomper presented the Cassen Lectureship titled "PSMA: Origins and Outlook."
"It is a tremendous honor to receive the Cassen Prize," Pomper commented. "I have had the privilege of working at the intersection of chemistry, imaging, and medicine throughout my career. The development of PSMA-targeted agents, including the first small molecules for imaging PSMA and the first commercial PSMA-targeted PET agent, reflects the extraordinary contributions of many talented colleagues and collaborators. I am inspired by the ongoing advances in theranostics that are transforming care for patients with prostate cancer and other diseases."
Pomper is a professor and chair of radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he holds the Effie and Wofford Cain Distinguished Chair of Diagnostic Imaging and serves in both the neuroradiology and nuclear medicine divisions. Before joining UT Southwestern in 2023, he served on the faculty of the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at Johns Hopkins University as director of the division of nuclear medicine. He was the inaugural William R. Brody Chair of Radiology and later the Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD, Chair of Nuclear Medicine at Johns Hopkins, where he also served as the associate dean for entrepreneurship and technology development.
Pomper's research focuses on molecular imaging and therapy for cancer and central nervous system disorders. His greatest scientific contribution has been the discovery and development of small molecules targeting PSMA. He created the first small molecules for imaging PSMA and the first commercial PSMA-targeted PET agent (Pylarify). His group also created the first PSMA-targeted imaging and therapeutic (theranostic) agents incorporating a radiometal. Compounds of the same chemical class have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are used worldwide to help manage patients with prostate cancer.
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Pomper received both his PhD and MD degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then completed an internship with the Osler Medical Service, residency training in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine, and a fellowship in neuroradiology, all at Johns Hopkins University. His work has resulted in nearly 500 peer-reviewed publications and a number of patents. He has served on the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Institutes of Health, the Scientific Review Committee of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, and the World Molecular Imaging Society, among other bodies.
Within SNMMI, Pomper has served in numerous leadership capacities, including as president of the Molecular Imaging Center of Excellence Board of Directors, member of the Education Committee, and member of the Theranostics Leadership and Operations Group, the Molecular Imaging Grants & Awards Task Force, and the International Task Force, among others. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Sam Gambhir Innovation Prize from the International Society for Strategic Studies in Radiology (2023), the Gold Medal from the World Molecular Imaging Society (2021), the Paul C. Aebersold Award from SNMMI (2017), the Distinguished Service Award from SNMMI (2008), and the Berson-Yalow Award from SNMMI (multiple years), among others. He was elected a Fellow of SNMMI in 2023.
The Cassen Prize honors Benedict Cassen, whose invention of the rectilinear radioisotope scanner -- the first instrument capable of making an image of radiotracer distribution in body organs of living patients -- was seminal to the development of clinical nuclear medicine. Pomper is the 18th individual to receive this prestigious $25,000 award from the Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging since 1994.
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About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics -- precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. For more information, visit snmmi.org .