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.

One of the most compelling advancements involves a newly developed positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand known as ^11C-ZTP-1, which specifically targets phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) — an enzyme intricately connected to neuroinflammation and various neuropsychiatric disorders. The ability of ^11C-ZTP-1 to selectively image PDE4B was rigorously validated in preclinical models including rats and non-human primates. This short-lived radiotracer’s unique properties facilitate the possibility of multiple scans within the same day, an innovation that could accelerate both fundamental brain research and the clinical development pipeline for novel neurotherapeutics by providing dynamic, temporal mapping of enzyme activity in vivo.

Expanding our understanding of breast cancer imaging, another pioneering study challenges the traditional categorization of “false positives” in PET imaging by utilizing ^89Zr-labeled antibodies. This approach has demonstrated the capacity to detect HER2-low breast cancer lesions, a subset formerly misclassified and overlooked due to limitations of earlier imaging modalities. This revelation not only broadens the diagnostic scope of HER2 PET imaging but also introduces the potential for identifying patients who could benefit from emerging HER2-targeted therapies, representing a paradigm shift in oncological precision medicine that prioritizes molecular heterogeneity.

Further enhancements in brain imaging are demonstrated by the introduction of ^18F-K-40, a novel PET tracer that permits visualization of AMPA receptors in living human subjects. AMPA receptors, fundamental to excitatory neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity, play a pivotal role in cognitive processes and neurological health. By matching the specificity and sensitivity of prior tracers with the added advantage of a longer half-life, ^18F-K-40 enables more flexible and accessible imaging protocols, promising to deepen investigations into neurological and psychiatric diseases where AMPA receptor dysfunction is implicated, such as epilepsy, depression, and neurodegeneration.

In a separate investigation, whole-body PET imaging using ^11C-carfentanil, a selective agonist for μ-opioid receptors, has unveiled significant sex-based differences in receptor distribution and naloxone-mediated receptor blockade within the central nervous system. By capturing the nuanced neurobiological variations between men and women in brain regions associated with pain modulation and addiction, this study provides critical insights that could inform sex-specific strategies for managing opioid use disorder and improving the efficacy of analgesic therapies. Understanding these distinctions enhances our grasp of opioid pharmacodynamics and may lead to more personalized approaches in pain medicine and addiction treatment.

Parallel to these empirical studies, a comprehensive review articulates the expanding role of molecular imaging in human phenomics—the systemic study of phenotypes at a complexity scale. Integrating molecular imaging with multiomics datasets and artificial intelligence (AI), this research underscores the transformative potential of such synergy to offer quantitative, predictive insights. This systems-level approach moves beyond traditional diagnostics, fostering preclinical intervention strategies and facilitating a precision health framework centered on individualized biological complexity and continuous monitoring.

The frontiers of personalized cancer imaging and therapy are also pushed forward through investigations targeting the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR). Recognized for its overexpression in multiple tumors, GRPR stands as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target. The transition from bench to bedside is explored, emphasizing the dual role of GRPR-based molecular imaging in both diagnosing diverse cancers and delivering targeted radionuclide therapy. This approach embodies the principles of theranostics, thereby optimizing patient selection and therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects.

Collectively, these studies exemplify a multifaceted advancement of nuclear medicine, leveraging sophisticated tracer chemistry, enhanced imaging techniques, and system biology approaches to drive forward precision medicine. The implications extend from improved brain disorder management and cancer therapeutics to refined diagnostic accuracy, establishing new standards for molecular imaging’s integration into clinical workflows. These innovations hint at a future where individualized treatment selection and comprehensive phenomic assessment are hallmarks of patient care.

Moreover, these pioneering PET imaging tools highlight a key shift toward creating tracers tailored not only for improved diagnostic clarity but also for enabling dynamic therapeutic monitoring. The ability to visualize enzymatic activity, receptor binding, and cellular heterogeneity in vivo opens unparalleled avenues for drug development, patient stratification, and real-time treatment assessment, cultivating an era of truly personalized medicine underpinned by actionable molecular insights.

Advancements in whole-body imaging, such as those achieved with ^11C-carfentanil, demonstrate the feasibility of moving beyond regional brain studies to systems-level interrogation of receptor distributions and pharmacokinetics. This approach facilitates a holistic understanding of complex biological systems and sexes differences, which are often underappreciated in neuropharmacology—offering fertile ground for new discoveries that properly integrate biological diversity into therapeutic design.

The integration of artificial intelligence and multiomics into molecular imaging reveals an exciting interdisciplinary frontier, exploiting the vast data generated through imaging technologies to create predictive models and refined diagnostics. This bidirectional relationship harnesses AI’s capacity to decode complex imaging patterns, while molecular imaging provides the spatially and temporally dense data necessary for nuanced model training—a symbiosis poised to revolutionize predictive medicine, early disease detection, and personalized intervention strategies.

As the field advances, the translational pipeline for molecular imaging agents such as those targeting PDE4B and GRPR is essential for transforming laboratory discoveries into clinical realities. Accelerating regulatory approval, expanding accessibility, and ensuring cost-effectiveness remain challenges, yet the potential impact on patient diagnosis, treatment personalization, and outcome prediction affirms the immense value of these innovations for modern healthcare systems.

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine continues to be at the forefront of disseminating pivotal research that redefines our approach to molecular diagnostics and therapeutics. With a global audience exceeding 15 million annual accesses, the journal serves as an indispensable resource for clinicians, researchers, and industry stakeholders dedicated to harnessing nuclear medicine’s potential to improve patient lives.

For the latest in molecular imaging advancements, practitioners and researchers are encouraged to explore JNM’s comprehensive coverage as the field moves toward increasingly sophisticated, integrative, and patient-specific methodologies that stand to reshape the landscape of healthcare.

Subject of Research: Molecular imaging innovations in neuroscience, oncology, and precision health

Article Title: Various – including “New Brain Imaging Tool Targets Key Enzyme in Mental Health” and “Targeting GRPR: A New Frontier in Personalized Cancer Imaging and Therapy”

News Publication Date: May 9, 2025

Web References:
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.269159
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.269227
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.269405
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.269413
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.267660
https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.124.269444

Keywords: Molecular imaging, PET tracers, PDE4B, HER2-low breast cancer, AMPA receptors, μ-opioid receptors, GRPR, precision medicine, theranostics, neuropsychiatric disorders, molecular phenomics, sex differences, multiomics, artificial intelligence