Michael Phelps, PhD is retired from UCLA where he served as the Norton Simon Professor; Chair, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (1992-2021); Director, Institute of Molecular Medicine (2002-2011); Director,Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging (1992-2021); and Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine (1984-1990), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Dr. Phelps founded the UCLA Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (DMMP) that contains the Clinical Nuclear Medicine service and academic programs (Division of Theranostics). This is the only department in the world in which Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT and Theranostics are in a pharmacology department to integrate in vivo molecular imaging diagnostics, in vitro molecular diagnostics (blood) and therapeutics (pharmacology), based on the biology of disease. This unique culture integrated basic and clinical sciences and medical practices, molecular imaging to phenotype disease cells throughout the body with PET/CT to locate the therapeutic protein target. Dr. Phelps also founded the Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging as a science and technology center and the Institute of Molecular Medicine to integrate basic and clinical sciences.

Dr. Phelps earned B.S. degrees in chemistry and mathematics (Western Washington University, Bellingham, WN), and a Ph.D. in chemistry (Washington University, St. Louis MO,). Prior to UCLA, he served on the faculty of the medical schools of Washington University and the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1973, Dr. Phelps invented the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner with his then postdoc, Edward Hoffman. With colleagues Simon Cherry and Arion Chatziioannou, he invented a miniaturized preclinical PET scanner, microPET, to provide a pathway for in vitro biological sciences to translate their discoveries to in vivo in animal models of disease, and then into molecular imaging of the biology of disease in patients. Further, with UCLA and CTI colleagues, Dr. Phelps invented a PC-controlled small, self-shielded cyclotron with automated synthesis of radiolabeled imaging probes for PET that formed the basis for worldwide distribution of PET radiopharmacies. These technologies were initially commercialized by CTI Molecular Imaging.

With UCLA colleagues and students, Dr. Phelps developed numerous in vivo assays for PET that provide measurements for, and images of, biological, biochemical and pharmacological processes, from gene expression and signal transduction to rates of various biochemical reactions from metabolism to DNA synthesis, as well as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for drugs. He employed these assays to study normal biological processes of various organ systems, as well as the biology and biochemistry of cancer, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and pharmacology of drug interactions in patients and animal models of disease. These assays are then transitioned to clinical and pharmaceutical research to phenotype cells throughout the body to select patients for therapy and to provide molecular imaging diagnostics of the biology of disease in patient care.

Dr. Phelps developed the first clinical PET center and was subsequently appointed Chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine in the Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He led a national effort with faculty from medical schools across the United States to gain FDA approval and reimbursement for PET molecular imaging diagnostics of the biology of disease with the help of Congress (Senators Ted Stevens and Ted Kennedy, among others). This resulted in FDA approval and federal and private insurance coverage for PET in cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Phelps has published 740 peer-reviewed scientific articles and four textbooks. He has been principal investigator of $248 million in grants, and received awards such as the George von Hevesy Prize, von Hevesy Foundation; chaired the 1983 Nobel Symposium in Stockholm; Ernest O. Lawrence Memorial Award, Department of Energy; The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award, American College of Physicians; Enrico Fermi Presidential Award presented by President Clinton; Kettering Prize, General Motors Cancer Research Foundation; Keynote Address, 2007 Nobel Symposium, Stockholm; Massry Award, Massry Foundation; Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Award, German Society of Nuclear Medicine; Gold Medal Award, World Molecular Imaging Society; Gold Medal Award, American Roentgen Ray Society; de Hevesy Prize, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging; George V. Taplin Award, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging; and Pioneer in Medicine Award, Society of Brain Mapping & Therapeutics.

Dr. Phelps is member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. He is the Board Chair, Norton Simon Foundation; Board Member, Norton Simon Art Foundation and the Norton Simon Museum, and was a board member of the Institute of Systems Biology in Seattle.

Dr. Phelps was also one of the three founders and member of the Board of Directors of CTI Molecular Imaging, that after Siemens acquired 50% of CTI in a joint venture, the remaining 50% was acquired by Siemens in 2005 for $1.1 billion, while increasing the value of Siemens $30M investment in the joint venture to ~$800M. Along with UCLA and Caltech faculty, and public figures, Dr. Phelps founded Momentum Biosciences (MoM), the first biotech incubator in the Los Angeles area. MoM provided facilities, services and funding for start-up and early stage companies from faculty at UCLA and Caltech. He is also one of the founders and board member of one of MoM’s companies – SOFIE Biosciences. He has chosen not to hold ownership in any of the MoM companies except Sofie Biosciences.