The new faculty members are joining an institution that has positioned its research enterprise around close partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Tennessee Valley Authority. These relationships provide access to specialized facilities, large-scale computing, advanced materials laboratories and expertise in nuclear science and energy systems. University Chancellor Donde Plowman said the recruits were attracted by UT’s growing research ecosystem and by opportunities to work on problems with direct significance for Tennessee and the wider nation.

Among the most technology-focused appointments is Shaundra Daily, who is joining UT from Duke University as a professor in the College of Communication and Information. Daily studies artificial intelligence, human-centered technology and affective computing, a field that uses computational systems to recognize, interpret or respond to human emotions. Her work examines sociotechnical systems, meaning systems shaped jointly by technical tools, human users and social institutions. By designing technologies that improve participation and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, she investigates how AI can become more inclusive rather than simply more powerful.

Deep Jariwala, arriving from the University of Pennsylvania in 2027 as the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Quantum Devices, will focus on materials and devices for next-generation computing, sensing and communications. His research is expected to explore how emerging materials can manipulate charge, light or other physical properties at very small scales. Such materials could support specialized chips for artificial intelligence, where conventional architectures increasingly face limits in energy consumption and processing efficiency. Quantum devices may also enable sensors capable of detecting subtle changes in magnetic fields, chemical environments or biological signals.

The university is also strengthening its research in digital health through the appointment of Graham Thomas, who joined UT from Brown University as a professor and center director in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Thomas studies methods for optimizing and delivering health interventions, using digital platforms and advanced analytics to understand behavior. His work includes weight management, eating patterns and physical activity. By analyzing data from mobile devices, virtual tools and other digital systems, researchers can examine how interventions work for different individuals and adjust them over time rather than relying on a single treatment approach for everyone.

Laurent Capolungo, who is coming from Los Alamos National Laboratory as a professor in the Tickle College of Engineering, brings expertise in computational materials science. His research uses multiscale modeling to predict how materials and structures behave under extreme conditions. Multiscale approaches connect phenomena occurring at atomic or microscopic levels with the performance of components that can be meters in size. This capability is particularly important for advanced manufacturing, nuclear energy and defense, where materials may encounter intense heat, radiation, mechanical stress or corrosive environments. Better simulations can reduce development costs while helping engineers design safer and more durable systems.

Sustainable materials and circular manufacturing will be advanced through the appointment of Orlando J. Rojas, who will join UT from the University of British Columbia as the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Circular Biomaterials. Rojas studies soft matter, a category that includes polymers, gels, colloids and biological materials whose physical behavior differs from that of rigid solids. His research contributes to the development of technical textiles and biomedical materials, while also examining how renewable or discarded biological resources can replace petroleum-based feedstocks. A circular approach aims to keep materials in productive use for longer, reducing waste and the energy required to manufacture new products.

Jeffery Tomberlin, joining the UT Institute of Agriculture from Texas A&M University as the Chancellor’s Excellence Professor, will bring his pioneering work on black soldier flies. The insects are efficient decomposers whose larvae can convert organic waste into protein-rich biomass and nutrient-containing residue. This process has potential applications in animal feed, fertilizer and waste management, making it a notable example of the circular bioeconomy. Tomberlin’s research also supports forensic entomology, which uses insect development and ecological patterns to help estimate the timing and circumstances surrounding death in criminal investigations.

Two additional appointments extend UT’s reach into precision medicine and population health. Carolyn Anderson, arriving from the University of Missouri as the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Medicine: Radiopharmaceutical Therapies, develops radioactive compounds designed to diagnose and treat disease. Radiopharmaceutical therapy agents can carry beta- or alpha-emitting radionuclides directly to cancer cells, delivering highly localized radiation. Companion positron emission tomography agents can reveal where those compounds travel in the body, helping clinicians select treatments and monitor responses. Kimberly Powell, also from Missouri, joins the College of Nursing as an associate professor specializing in precision health for aging populations. Her work examines health data, telehealth and text-messaging interventions that could make care more responsive to older adults’ needs.

Together, the eight appointments represent a deliberate expansion of UT’s research portfolio rather than a collection of isolated hires. Their fields share a common reliance on data, advanced modeling, engineered materials and partnerships across disciplines. From AI systems designed around human needs to insects that transform waste, quantum materials that could reshape computing and radiopharmaceuticals that target cancer, the researchers are working on technologies with both scientific and societal consequences. UT officials say the appointments will create new opportunities for students while accelerating collaborations with national laboratories, industry and public agencies—an approach intended to turn the university’s growing research capacity into visible advances in health, energy, manufacturing and environmental sustainability.

Subject of Research: Artificial intelligence, quantum devices, digital health, computational materials science, circular biomaterials, black soldier flies, nuclear medicine and precision health.

Article Title: University of Tennessee Recruits Eight Researchers to Expand Innovation Across AI, Quantum Science and Health

Web References: https://research.utk.edu/research-strengths/; https://research.utk.edu/partnerships/; https://news.utk.edu/2026/04/08/ut-names-new-governors-chair-for-quantum-devices/; https://news.utk.edu/2026/05/06/ut-names-governors-chair-for-circular-biomaterials/; https://news.utk.edu/2026/07/27/ut-names-governors-chair-for-nuclear-medicine/

References: University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Y-12 National Security Complex; Tennessee Valley Authority.

Image Credits: University of Tennessee

Keywords: University of Tennessee, research priorities, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, digital health, computational modeling, biotechnology, sustainable materials, circular bioeconomy, nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceuticals, precision health, nursing, aging populations, black soldier flies.

In her multifaceted career, Dr. Jacene holds several prominent positions, including Chief of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Clinical Director of Nuclear Medicine/PET-CT, and Senior Physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She also serves as Associate Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. Her diverse roles underscore a strong commitment to pushing the boundaries of nuclear medicine through both clinical excellence and academic rigor, highlighting her capacity to bridge the gap between innovative research and patient-centered care.

One of Dr. Jacene’s primary objectives as president is to reinforce SNMMI as an indispensable resource for its members, spanning the spectrum from foundational basic science research to the highest standards of evidence-based clinical application. She emphasizes the critical importance of fostering an environment where nuclear medicine evolves through interdisciplinary collaboration and robust scientific inquiry, ensuring that the field remains at the forefront of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

Dr. Jacene is focused on creating dynamic platforms within SNMMI that encourage active participation and collaboration among members, transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries. By promoting multidisciplinary partnerships, she envisions expanding the reach and influence of nuclear medicine, driving innovations that enhance molecular imaging technologies such as PET-CT and radiopharmaceutical therapies. Her approach involves breaking down silos to facilitate knowledge exchange and accelerate technological advancements.

A major part of her agenda involves advocating for increased awareness and acceptance of nuclear medicine among clinical colleagues and patients alike. She aims to communicate the tangible benefits of these advanced imaging techniques in personalized medicine, emphasizing how molecular imaging enables precise characterization of disease states and therapeutic responses. This strategic communication will help solidify nuclear medicine’s role as a cornerstone of modern clinical practice.

Another critical challenge Dr. Jacene intends to address involves the barriers related to the availability, reimbursement, affordability, and funding of radiopharmaceuticals. These radiotracers are indispensable tools in targeted diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, yet their accessibility remains uneven. Her leadership will concentrate on policy advocacy and operational innovations to ensure broader and timely access to these vital agents, thus enhancing the clinical utility and patient reach of nuclear medicine.

Dr. Jacene’s extensive training and expertise reflect a career dedicated to nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. She earned her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She subsequently completed both her residency and fellowship in nuclear medicine and PET-CT at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, where she honed her skills in cutting-edge diagnostic imaging techniques and the evolving applications of radiopharmaceuticals in oncology and beyond.

Her longstanding involvement with SNMMI is marked by significant leadership roles, including chairing the Scientific Program Committee, where she orchestrated innovative transformations to the Annual Meeting format. These changes have led to enhanced member engagement, increased networking opportunities, and a fertile ground for presenting novel research. She has also played a pivotal role in quality assurance, serving as Chair for the Quality of Practice Domain within the SNMMI Value Initiative, and helped establish the Radiopharmaceutical Centers of Excellence Program to standardize and elevate the delivery of radiopharmaceutical therapies.

Dr. Jacene’s research portfolio is both extensive and impactful, focusing predominantly on the application of FDG-PET/CT and other emerging PET tracers for the assessment of cancer biology and therapeutic efficacy. Her investigations delve into functional imaging biomarkers that reveal tumor metabolism, receptor expression, and microenvironmental changes, thereby informing more personalized and adaptive treatment strategies. Furthermore, she explores novel radiopharmaceutical therapies that promise to revolutionize the management of malignancies through targeted molecular interventions.

In addition to more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, Dr. Jacene has authored numerous review articles and book chapters, contributing authoritative perspectives on the evolving landscape of molecular imaging and theranostics. Her scholarship not only advances academic discourse but also aids in translating complex imaging science into practical clinical guidelines and protocols that optimize patient care.

The new SNMMI leadership team for 2026-27 includes other distinguished figures such as Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, FSNMMI, chosen as president-elect, and Jason S. Lewis, PhD, FSNMMI, as vice president-elect. The SNMMI Technologist Section has also elected Shannon Youngblood, EdD, MSRS, CNMT, RT(CT), as president, with Sara L. Johnson, CNMT, RT(N)(CT), serving as president-elect. Together, this leadership cadre represents a diverse spectrum of expertise poised to drive the society’s mission forward.

SNMMI remains a global scientific and medical organization dedicated to propelling nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostic precision medicine. Through its efforts, SNMMI facilitates innovations that allow clinicians to tailor diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to individual patients with unprecedented specificity, aiming for optimal outcomes. Dr. Jacene’s presidency symbolizes a sustained commitment to integrating high-caliber research, education, and clinical practice at the forefront of this transformative field.

Subject of Research:
Heather Jacene’s presidency at SNMMI and advancements in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, including PET-CT innovations and radiopharmaceutical therapy.

Article Title:
Heather Jacene, MD, Named President of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging: Advancing the Future of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics

News Publication Date:
June 2026

Web References:
http://www.snmmi.org/

Image Credits:
Courtesy of SNMMI

Keywords:
Molecular imaging, Nuclear medicine, Positron emission tomography, Personalized medicine, Radiopharmaceutical therapy, Theranostics, FDG-PET/CT, Radiopharmaceutical Centers of Excellence, Precision medicine, SNMMI, Cancer imaging, Clinical molecular imaging