Observations and Reflections from the 2026 SNMMI Conference: An Interview with Jeremie Calais, MD, PhD

Beyond the volume of new research and advances presented at the recent Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) conference, Jeremie Calais, MD, PhD, said it also represented something of a home court celebration with colleagues from the UCLA Health Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics Department.

In a recent interview with Diagnostic Imaging, Dr. Calais praised the work of UCLA colleagues Amanda Rose Nguyen, DO and Daniel H. Silverman, MD, PhD, who garnered SNMMI’s “Abstract of the Year” honors for exploring how patterns of cerebral metabolism on FDG PET imaging may help gauge response to anti-amyloid treatment.

“They show that the specific pattern of brain glucose with FDG PET can predict which patients are most likely to respond to anti-amyloid therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, with patients showing a true Alzheimer disease metabolic signature having cognitive stabilization, while those with known Alzheimer disease, such as Lewy body or late pathology decline significantly, despite receiving the same treatments,” noted Dr. Calais.

For Dr. Calais, another key highlight of the SNMMI conference was a number of on-site Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) podcasts involving Johannes Czernin, MD, speaking with KOLs in the field. Dr. Czernin, who is wrapping up a 10-year term as editor-in-chief of JNM, is a professor and vice chair of the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Calais said Dr. Czernin has been a key mentor during the past decade at UCLA.

“I feel very privileged (and) grateful to have that opportunity to interact with him for so many years. He became a friend as well, but if I have to remember one thing, (it’s the) freedom to think outside of the box,” emphasized Dr. Calais, the director of UCLA clinical research and theranostics programs.

(Editor’s note: For additional coverage of the recent SNMMI conference, click here.)

In regard to other research presented at the SNMMI conference, Dr. Calais noted a variety of provocative talks during a session on combination therapy.

“For now, the takeaway is that the most advanced combination that we have knowledge on is combining lutetium(-177) PSMA with androgen-receptor targeting agents,” added Dr. Calais.

Advances such as the dynamic capabilities of total body PET/CT and the continuing emergence of research on non-PSMA targets in prostate cancer — including acid phosphatase 3 (ACP3), fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX-9) — have Dr. Calais excited to see what else is coming down the pike in nuclear medicine.

“It's so much more new information you can potentially use. Seeing all these new developments all the time going so fast, for me, it's really a pleasure to have the opportunity as a professional to evolve in (this) field,” noted Dr. Calais.