Michael E. Phelps
Michael E. Phelps, an American biophysicist, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1939. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics from Western Washington State University in 1965, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Washington University, St. Louis, in 1970. He began his faculty career at Washington University School of Medicine, 1970-1975. From 1975-1976, Phelps was a member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. In 1976, he moved to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he attained the positions of positions: Professor of Radiological Sciences, 1976-1992; Professor of Biomathematics, 1980-present; Chief, Division of Biophysics, 1981-1984; Jennifer Jones Simon Professor, 1983-1996; Norton Simon Professor, 1996-present; Chief, Division of Nuclear Medicine, 1984-1992; Associate Director, UCLA/DOE Laboratory of Structural Biology & Molecular Medicine, and Chief, Division of Nuclear Medicine, 1984-present; Director, Crump Institute for Biological Imaging, 1989-present; and Chairman, Department of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, 1992-present; and Chief, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, 1992-present.
Phelps subsequently developed an array of biological assay techniques for PET-based measurements of hemodynamic, biochemical, and biological processes in the brain, heart, and tumors. The success of these measurements drove further refinements both in the development of PET scanners and in the development of biological assay methods. Phelps also conceptualized the miniaturization, automation, and integration of cyclotron technology and biochemical synthesizers necessary for the synthesis of positron-labeled probes into a single, PC-controlled device for producing positron-labeled compounds for research and clinical care.
Phelps established and directed the first clinical PET service exclusively for patient care. This clinic was the first to be used for PET-based diagnoses in such areas as Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, Huntington's disease, depression, Parkinson's disease, adult and childhood epilepsies, cardiovascular disease, and numerous types of cancers. Phelps established a large training program to produce scientists and physicians with expertise in PET scanning, now at PET research and clinical centers throughout the world.