UCLA Health launches Department of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics
UCLA Health has established the new Department of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics — the first independent department of its kind in the United States. This milestone marks a significant evolution in precision medicine and signals UCLA Health’s commitment to expanding access to advanced diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for patients around the world.
Across the MENA region, rising cancer rates mean that demand for high-precision cancer care continues to grow. While many countries have expanded their nuclear medicine services and improved access to PET/CT imaging, the availability of fully integrated theranostic programs, including advanced radiopharmaceuticals and multi-cycle radioligand therapy, remains uneven due to a shortage of trained medical staff and high equipment costs. As a result, many patients continue to seek specialized care abroad, where comprehensive diagnostic and treatment pathways are readily available.
The launch of UCLA Health’s new department directly responds to this global demand. As an independent entity, it will broaden clinical services, accelerate research, and deepen collaboration across UCLA Health, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The department plans to expand its theranostic programs and continue driving innovations that connect basic science, engineering and clinical medicine.
This new structure builds upon decades of achievement within the respected Ahmanson Translational Theranostics Division. It now encompasses nuclear medicine clinics, a state-of-the-art outpatient theranostics facility, integrated radiochemistry laboratories, a biomedical cyclotron for on-site isotope production, preclinical research infrastructure, and one of the largest nuclear medicine clinical research groups in the country.
Johannes Czernin, MD, acting chair of the new department, emphasized the significance of this step. “Nuclear medicine is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by advances in imaging technology and the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals that allow us to visualize and treat disease with unprecedented precision,” he said. “Becoming an independent department elevates this work and strengthens UCLA’s role in shaping the future of precision health.”
These advances are especially visible in whole-body PET imaging, which enables clinicians to identify disease at the molecular level, often earlier and with greater accuracy than through conventional imaging. This level of precision supports improved treatment planning not only for cancer, but also for neurological, cardiac, infectious, and inflammatory diseases.
Newer treatments for prostate cancer illustrate the global impact of these developments. In many regions within MENA, patients often face delays in diagnosis or limited access to advanced imaging. UCLA Health researchers, including Jeremie Calais, MD, PhD, director of the new department’s clinical research program, have played a central role in advancing prostate-cancer diagnostics.
In 2018, Dr. Calais collaborated with UCSF’s Tom Hope, MD, to demonstrate that PSMA PET imaging detects significantly more prostate cancer lesions than conventional methods. The technique received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 2020 and is now standard. Dr. Calais then co-led phase II clinical trials, evaluating Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto), a targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy for metastatic, treatment-resistant prostate cancer. The therapy was later FDA-approved and incorporated into major clinical guidelines, providing patients with a new and effective treatment option.
For international patients, UCLA Health’s integrated theranostics infrastructure is a critical advantage. The department’s biomedical cyclotron and radiochemistry facilities ensure a consistent, reliable supply of the specialized isotopes required for complex treatments. This capability helps minimize delays and ensure that multi-cycle therapy proceeds smoothly, a critical factor for successful treatment.
Reflecting on the department’s creation, Dr. Czernin shared, “As we move into this next chapter, I am inspired by the collaborative spirit of our teams and the extraordinary potential of this science. Together, we are building a future in which imaging and therapy converge to offer more precise and more personal care for every patient.”
The Department of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics includes Ahmanson Translational Theranostics Division preclinical and clinical faculty members, technologists, nurses, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, research associates, project scientists and others, and officially launched as an independent department on Jan. 1, 2026.
Beyond clinical excellence, UCLA Health International Services provides dedicated support to help patients and families navigate the logistical and cultural aspects of receiving care abroad. Services include online second opinions, virtual consultations, assistance with logistical arrangements, and in-person Arabic-language support throughout the treatment journey. From planning to arrival to follow-up, patients receive coordinated care designed for comfort, clarity and peace of mind.
