Over the past several decades, molecular imaging has transformed dramatically from primarily an experimental field to a requisite component of modern oncology and precision medicine. The growth of molecular imaging is not solely the result of new findings in laboratory studies, but also of the systematic guidance from professional societies, advisory panels, and editorial organizations that have helped define research norms, grant funding, and ethical guidelines. These institutional infrastructures are designed to enable the fields of molecular imaging and radiopharmacy to develop in a reproducible, clinically relevant, and internationally coherent manner, and, more importantly, to facilitate collaboration from institution to institution and country to country.
In this regard, Jason S. Lewis is a key leader who has helped to guide the worldwide molecular imaging community from formal leadership positions. He served as President of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) in 2014-15, during which he promoted international collaboration and efforts to ensure rigorous methodologies in imaging research. From 2022 to 2023, Lewis served as President of the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, where he led discussions on radiochemistry education, the clinical translation of new tracers, and the harmonization of global regulatory standards. He has also assumed leadership roles within the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, where he has been involved in strategic planning and setting priorities at a time of tremendous technological and clinical growth in the field.
Lewis’s impact extends beyond formal society presidencies to include representation on many international advisory committees, for which mass independence and sound judgement have been key qualities. These committees evaluate new technology, advise funding bodies, and guide the design of clinical trials for radiopharmaceuticals. By playing such roles, he has assisted in formulating guidelines for preclinical validation, translational study design, and the ethical conduct of human trials in molecular imaging. His contributions ensure that new radiotracers and imaging agents are evaluated according to stringent safety, reproducibility, and scientific criteria before clinical implementation.
He has a long service on Editorial Boards of Molecular Imaging and Biology (as Editor-in-Chief), Nuclear Medicine and Biology (as an Associate Editor), Journal of Nuclear Medicine (as an Associate Editor), and many other leading journals. Lewis has been responsible for overseeing peer-review processes, assisting in establishing editorial standards, and directing the publication of studies that advanced the field’s methods and applications. His editorial work has ensured the integrity and quality of articles published in our field, directed the development of molecular imaging scholarship, and helped laboratories around the globe to adopt best practices.
The totality of these positions is evident in how molecular imaging research is conducted today. Lewis has developed and promoted national and global collaborative networks that span institutions and countries, enabling research programs to share methods and datasets and to coordinate multicenter studies. There have been several multinational partnerships for multi-patient immunoPET and radiotheranostic projects that Lewis has established the framework for during his tenure with professional societies. These collaborations have helped support faster translation from bench to bedside and the evaluation of novel tracers and therapeutic isotopes in clinical medicine.
One aspect of Lewis’s approach is his focus on ethical and methodological integrity. In both his societal and advisory roles, he has continually advocated for standards that protect patient safety, ensure reproducibility, and promote transparency in research reporting. By assisting in integrating these values into practice, he has helped establish ethical benchmarks for the development of radiopharmaceuticals that have influenced institutional review boards, funding agencies, and regulatory bodies worldwide.
He has also emphasized education as a priority area. Under his leadership, both the World Molecular Imaging Society and the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences have expanded their educational programming for early-career researchers, including proposed mentorship opportunities, workshops, and international cross-border experiences. Efforts have targeted early-career researchers, ensuring that those who are new scientists are well-trained in radiochemistry, imaging biology, and translational science, to support the field’s long-term growth.
Lewis has influenced funding priorities in molecular imaging through his roles as an editor, an organization member, and a consultant. He has been part of discussions on grants, the balance between basic and translational research, and the support of high-impact, clinically relevant research. These strategically aligned efforts have helped to steer the field of radiopharmaceutical research, fostering programs that combine chemistry, biology, and clinical oncology consistent with standards for evidence-based medicine.
In addition to serving as an organizational governor and overseeing the editorial process, Lewis has been engaged in international policy discussions, including participation in global task forces addressing radiopharmaceutical safety, regulatory harmonization, and the integration of advanced imaging applications into clinical practice. Such arrangements ensure that innovation is applied in a responsible, standardized manner across jurisdictions, minimizing variability in clinical outcomes and enhancing global access to state-of-the-art molecular imaging applications.
Altogether, these leadership responsibilities emphasize Jason S. Lewis’ contributions to the discipline of molecular imaging beyond any single laboratory. Through his efforts to shape organizational frameworks, editorial standards, funding agendas, and ethical constructs, he has helped define how molecular imaging is conducted, evaluated, and implemented, beyond national borders. He has worked to reinforce the core tenets of reproducibility, collaboration, and mentorship in the field while advancing the responsible development and implementation of new imaging and therapeutic imaging technologies.
Jason S. Lewis’s service to and support of professional societies, journals, and advisory bodies have set a standard for translational molecular imaging as a form of leadership. In establishing editor roles, ethical frameworks, and transnational collaborations, Lewis has served the field of molecular imaging by fostering development with fidelity, collaboration, and relevance to clinical care. Taken together, he has advanced the structural and operational underpinnings that will guide molecular imaging research and radiopharmaceutical science in oncology for future generations.
