The Industry Mourns the Loss of Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, M.D., Ph.D.

July 20, 2020 — The radiology and molecular imaging fields mourn the loss of another brilliant leader. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford and the Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, has died from cancer at age 57. He is known for his work in early cancer detection and advancing molecular imaging, which is potentially vital in detecting and diagnosing metabolic diseases such as cancer, as well as neurological and cardiovascular diseases.

Gambhir received numerous awards, medals, and honors for his work in advancing Molecular Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, and early cancer detection. Some of his recent honors include the IEEE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award, IEEE Advancing Technology for Humanity in 2019, and the Distinguished Investigator Award, 7th Annual Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging in 2018. On the day his death was announced, he also received Stanford’s highest honor, the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence reserved for those whose scientific, medical, or humanitarian work has advanced the mission of Stanford Medicine, according to a report in Indica News.