October 5, 2010 — The Society of Nuclear Medicine’s Molecular Imaging Center of Excellence (MICoE) changed its name effective Oct. 1, to the Center for Molecular Imaging Innovation and Translation (CMIIT), a designation that reflects its new mission and vision.
“The MICoE was created five years ago to help integrate all aspects of molecular imaging into the structure and mission of SNM,” said Carolyn J. Anderson, Ph.D., president of MICoE, now CMIIT, and a professor of radiology, biochemistry and molecular biophysics and chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. “Since that time, SNM has evolved into a society that welcomes and integrates all molecular imaging modalities. This led the center to narrow its focus, reflected in its new vision, mission and name, to the innovation and translation of molecular imaging techniques.”
CMIIT’s mission is to engage the molecular imaging community and leverage the SNM infrastructure to advance the adoption of emerging molecular imaging technologies and probes in preclinical and clinical applications. The guiding vision for CMIIT is for molecular imaging to become an integral part of the medical standard of care by providing specific information that will be used for diagnosis and to guide therapeutic decisions that improve health and well-being.
By collaborating with academic centers, industry, and philanthropic and government agencies, CMIIT will help establish a pathway for integrating emerging molecular imaging technologies into basic science, drug discovery, clinical trials and routine practice.
“CMIIT will place a major focus on translational research, moving basic science in molecular imaging into clinical practice,” said Dominique Delbeke, M.D., Ph.D., president of SNM and the director of nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography (PET) in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. “These continuing efforts will make SNM and CMIIT an effective advocate, a comprehensive educational resource and a welcoming organizational home for all molecular imaging professionals.”
SNM established the MICoE five years ago to spearhead the evolution of the society as it diversified and increased support for innovative research and high-quality educational opportunities for all molecular imaging modalities. MICoE has worked to increase awareness of molecular imaging technologies and procedures among scientific, physician and patient groups, and to advocate for molecular imaging with government agencies and policymakers. MICoE also proposed new grants and awards for molecular imaging research that are now offered through SNM and its Education and Research Foundation.
For more information: snm.org
March 12, 2026 
