“Simon Cherry’s world-leading stature complements the expertise at King’s to provide a step-change boost to our research programmes. It is a unique time of development and advancement in the field of molecular imaging, offering the opportunity to improve understanding from fundamental human biology through to clinical applications in combination therapies and diagnostics. We look forward to supporting Simon’s research and integrating him into ongoing projects.”
Professor Stephen Archibald, Head of Research Department of Imaging Chemistry & Biology
03 November 2025
Total-body PET trailblazer Professor Simon Cherry joins King's College London
The School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences has welcomed Professor Simon Cherry as its new Professor of Total Body Imaging.
A pioneer in the development of total-body positron emission tomography (PET) technology, Professor Cherry co-led the EXPLORER project, developing and launching the world’s first clinically approved total-body PET scanner at University of California Davis Medical Center.
An important advancement in patient care for PET scanning, total-body PET means patients can be scanned in full and with greater sensitivity, improving imaging quality and speed while using lower radioactive doses than conventional PET scanning, and opening up multiple new research avenues.
Professor Cherry also led UC Davis’s Cherry Lab for molecular imaging and PET. He has contributed to detector technology innovations for PET, conducted early biomedical studies using Cerenkov luminescence, an emerging imaging modality, and worked with King’s researchers in the late nineties to develop the first proof-of-concept hybrid PET/MRI systems.
He has also been a member of the advisory board of King’s College London’s MITHRAS EPSRC Programme grant, inputting on one of the School’s major research programmes over the past five years.
As Professor of Total-Body Imaging, Simon will contribute his vast expertise as a total-body PET innovator to one of the world’s largest translational radiopharmaceutical development and molecular imaging academic teams.
He will lead on innovative physics optimising the use of the School’s unique infrastructure – comprising two Siemens Quadra total-body PET scanners, a hybrid PET-MR scanner, traditional PET-CT, preclinical PET-CT, as well as state-of-the-art radiopharmaceutical production facilities – to generate new opportunities in total-body PET scanning and implement improvements in patient care.
“We are very excited to welcome Simon Cherry, one of the greats in PET Physics. We look forward to working with him especially on kinetic modelling of Total Body PET data to unlock the full potential of this game-changing new modality and leverage our unique setup with two Total Body PET scanners and a large radiochemistry research programme."
Professor Alexander Hammers MD, PhD, Professor of Imaging and Neuroscience, Head of King’s College London & Guy’s and St Thomas’ PET Centre
After more than 30 years in the US, Professor Cherry is also delighted to return to London, where he completed his early training, describing the city as “a vibrant scientific and cultural hub.”
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the total-body PET programme at KCL, as I can see enormous potential to perform impactful medical research given the environment and infrastructure in the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences.”
Professor Simon R Cherry, Total Body Imaging, Research Department of Imaging Chemistry & Biology
“Simon Cherry is a true pioneer in total-body PET innovation and his appointment as Professor of Total Body Imaging is a brilliant news for King’s. His expertise and experience in molecular imaging and PET are unmatched globally and we are excited to see him drive improvement and translation using our world-class scanning facilities to best effect of our patients.”
Professor Sebastien Ourselin FREng FMedSci, Assistant Principal (Innovation), Head of School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences