European Society of Molecular Imaging

European Society of Molecular Imaging
Name	European Society of Molecular Imaging
Abbreviation	ESMI
Formation	2005
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	Berlin
Region served	Europe
Membership	Scientists, clinicians, industry
Leader title	President

Contents

European Society of Molecular Imaging is a continental learned society that promotes molecular imaging research across Europe, coordinating activities among academic institutions, clinical centers, and industry partners. The society engages stakeholders from diverse centers such as Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut Pasteur, University of Oxford, Karolinska Institutet, and Max Planck Society to advance imaging science through conferences, training, and grants. Through ties with major projects and agencies including European Commission, European Research Council, Horizon 2020, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, the society fosters translational research spanning preclinical and clinical domains.

History

The society emerged amid a wave of institutional consolidation following initiatives at European Molecular Imaging Meeting-type gatherings and workshops hosted by European Association of Nuclear Medicine, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Euro-BioImaging ERIC, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and research clusters anchored at CERN-affiliated imaging laboratories. Early contributors included investigators from Imperial College London, Utrecht University, University of Cambridge, Heidelberg University Hospital, and University College London who had collaborated on multicenter consortia funded by FP6 and FP7. The founding era aligned with policy dialogues involving European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, and saw partnerships with networks such as European Society for Molecular Imaging Workshop initiatives, later integrating with continental initiatives like EurotransBIO and projects recorded through CORDIS.

The society's mission emphasizes translational pipelines linking laboratories at Francis Crick Institute, Weizmann Institute of Science, ETH Zurich, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and University of Milan with clinical hubs at Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, and Ospedale San Raffaele. Objectives include promoting standards compatible with guidelines from European Medicines Agency, harmonizing imaging biomarkers as championed by Biomarkers Definitions Working Group, and supporting multicenter trials analogous to efforts led by European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. The society advocates for open science dialogues with bodies such as OpenAIRE and aligns training with frameworks used by European Higher Education Area and European Qualifications Framework.

Membership comprises investigators from King's College London, University of Copenhagen, University of Edinburgh, Technical University of Munich, Ghent University, and corporate delegates from entities like Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, and biotech firms incubated at EMBL Innovation Lab. Governance mirrors models used by Royal Society and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft with an elected Board drawn from academics at University of Leiden, Trinity College Dublin, Sorbonne University, and representatives interacting with regulatory stakeholders such as European Medicines Agency and patient advocacy groups like European Cancer Patient Coalition. Committees manage ethics, standards, and training similar to structures at Wellcome Trust and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Annual congresses rotate among host cities including Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Milan, featuring symposia comparable to programs at Radiological Society of North America, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Society for Neuroscience. Workshops and satellite meetings partner with institutes such as Institut Curie, VIB, CNRS, and IZKF centers, while hands-on courses occur in collaboration with labs at Salk Institute-affiliated European centers and training programs coordinated with European Molecular Biology Organization. The society co-organizes thematic sessions with European Association of Nuclear Medicine and joint forums with International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Programs support preclinical imaging platforms at sites like Hannover Medical School, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and University of Barcelona, and clinical translation networks modeled after EUnetHTA collaborations. Educational initiatives include summer schools, doctoral training aligned with Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and specialist modules delivered with partners such as European School of Oncology, European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, and university departments at KU Leuven. The society curates protocols for multimodal imaging integrating modalities championed by European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, EMBL Hamburg Outstation, and vendors like Bruker Corporation.

The awards program recognizes investigators in preclinical and clinical imaging with prizes inspired by honors such as the Lasker Award, Fritz London Memorial Prize, and grants analogous to European Research Council Starting Grants. Competitive travel fellowships, young investigator awards, and pilot project grants support researchers at institutions including University of Zurich, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, and Leiden University Medical Center. Funding panels follow peer review practices similar to Wellcome Trust and European Research Council procedures.

The society maintains strategic collaborations with continental networks such as Euro-BioImaging ERIC, EATRIS, BBMRI-ERIC, and regulatory and funding bodies like European Medicines Agency and European Commission. Partnerships extend to academic alliances with University of Oslo, University of Helsinki, Politecnico di Milano, and industry consortia including MedTech Europe and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. These relationships enable joint calls, shared infrastructure access, and coordinated training with entities such as Horizon Europe consortia and patient organizations like European Cancer Organisation.

Category:Molecular imaging organizations