“I am honoured to join the Royal Society as a Fellow this year and am looking forward to advancing its work supporting science that benefits the people who need it most including patients, clinicians and wider society. I also look forward to working with the society and other Fellows in promoting excellence across the UK’s research landscape going forward.”
Professor Simon Cherry, Total Body Imaging, Research Department of Imaging Chemistry & Biology
28 May 2026
King's College London's Professor Simon Cherry elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Professor Simon Cherry, Professor of Total-Body Imaging at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the highest honours in global science, in recognition of a career defined by pioneering contributions to medical imaging and innovation.
The latest cohort of more than 90 new Fellows brings together the world’s preeminent researchers whose work exemplifies the highest standards of scientific endeavour. Elected Fellows join The Royal Society, a body founded in 1660 that has long represented excellence in scientific research and discovery.
Professor Cherry joins an illustrious Fellowship that includes historic figures such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, alongside modern pioneers including Stephen Hawking and Dorothy Hodgkin. Candidates are nominated by existing Fellows and selected through a rigorous peer review process with election based primarily on scientific excellence evidenced by sustained and exceptional contributions to advancing knowledge.
His career spans four decades at the forefront of biomedical engineering and molecular imaging, starting with a degree in Physics with Astronomy at University College London before continuing with a PhD in Medical Physics from the Institute of Cancer Research. He then went on to build an internationally-recognised research programme in the United States, joining the University of California, Davis in 2001, where he established the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging and leads the Cherry Lab.
A pioneer in positron emission tomography (PET), he co-led the development of the world’s first clinically approved total-body PET scanner, the EXPLORER system. The technology enables faster, more sensitive, full-body imaging while reducing radiation dose, transforming the way disease is studied and diagnosed. His work has also extended to innovations in detector technologies, PET/MRI systems and emerging imaging methods.
Since joining King’s College London last year, Professor Cherry has been leading efforts to advance total-body PET use within one of the world’s most comprehensive molecular imaging environments. Working with state-of-the-art PET infrastructure, including two Siemens Quadra total-body PET scanners, his work at King’s aims to accelerate the translation of cutting-edge imaging science into clinical practice, enhancing patient care while opening new avenues for research.
The Royal Society described this year’s Fellows as scientists whose work demonstrates “curiosity, creativity and rigorous inquiry” across a wide range of disciplines. Professor Cherry’s election is a reflection not only of his groundbreaking contributions to imaging science, but also of the growing importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing major health challenges.
“I am thrilled Professor Cherry has been elected to the Royal Society. He is among the world’s best in medical imaging and his work developing total-body PET has been transformative in improving practice, as well as patient outcomes and experiences globally. Congratulations!”
Professor Sebastien Ourselin FREng FMedSci, Head of the School of Biomedical & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London