RESTON, Va.- SNM, the world's largest molecular imaging and nuclear medicine society, recently announced a new, two-year $24,000 fellowship program in the United States for Japanese physicians in the early stages of their career.

"The SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship will advance fellows' research and clinical experience, as well as facilitate professional development, so young Japanese physicians can make significant contributions to the field of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine," said SNM President Alexander J. McEwan. "With this new program, SNM continues its long-time tradition of promoting-and expanding-the discovery of new science and the creation of new techniques and technologies," added the professor and chair of the Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Alberta, and director of oncologic imaging at Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Canada. "SNM is especially grateful to Nihon Medi-Physics, a Japanese diagnostic nuclear medicine firm, and SNM members Henry N. Wagner Jr. and Kanji Torizuka for sponsoring the fellowship," said McEwan. This fellowship encourages Japanese physicians to enhance international research and clinical collaboration with their American colleagues in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine and enhances cooperation between SNM and the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine (JSNM), he added.

"For almost half a century, Japanese physicians and scientists have studied nuclear medicine in the United States. Scores of them founded and now head departments of nuclear medicine and radiology in Japan," said Wagner, professor emeritus of medicine and radiology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md. "This fellowship is a step toward ensuring that this outstanding relationship will continue far into the future of this exciting, new, revolutionary specialty of molecular imaging," he added. The fellowship will help assist Japanese physicians in becoming the new leaders of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine in cardiology, oncology, neurology, radiology and other specialties, said Wagner.
"This program will greatly contribute to the further progress of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine in Japan," noted Torizuka, emeritus professor of Kyoto University and Fukui Medical University. "Young Japanese physicians will have invaluable experiences in the United States through this wonderful program. They can then lead the exciting new era of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine in Japan, maintaining collaboration and friendship with colleagues in the United States," he added.