New year, new beginnings

I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and were able to enjoy some well-deserved time with your families and friends, and that you’re feeling refreshed and recharged as we begin our celebratory year of 2026.

January has flown by, marked by the launch of our first Past Presidents’ Webinar. Dr David Keeling, Prof John Buscombe and Prof Sobhan Vinjamuri were all exceptional. We received wonderful feedback and it was my honour and pleasure to speak with them.

Thank you to everyone who attended. For those who were unable to join us, the recording is available free of charge to all BNMS members on our website, and it is well worth watching when you have a moment.

Dr David Keeling, one of the pioneers of our specialty and a founding member of what became the British Nuclear Medicine Society, served as BNMS President from 1994 to 1996.

Our Society was founded in 1966 in the friendly, vibrant atmosphere of the Prince Alfred Pub in London. Among those present with David were Prof Ralph McCready, Dr Steve Garnett and Dr Edward Williams, who together went on to establish the Society that would become the British Nuclear Medicine Society. 

At that time, long before ultrasound, CT or MRI, Nuclear Medicine already offered a remarkably broad range of clinical applications and operated with far fewer regulatory constraints than today. David shared fascinating stories from his training and consultancy years, when radiopharmaceuticals were made on the bench and staff could volunteer in research without a need for ethical approval.

Prof Sobhan Vinjamuri gave a talk titled “Towards High Specificity”, bringing together cutting edge hybrid imaging, advanced diagnostics and theragnostic technologies, alongside reflections on his personal journey and the innovations that have shaped our field.

Professor John Buscombe shared truly insightful stories from his experiences during the COVID pandemic and his successful career! John has been a leader on international education in nuclear medicine for decades and has become a well renowned NM physician. He delivered an inspiring talk, “Molecular Radiotherapy: To Infinity and Beyond,” highlighting the future of molecular radiotherapy and its expanding role within modern Nuclear Medicine.

I am now very much looking forward to our next event!

Female Past Presidents’ Webinar: 10th February

This webinar will explore the challenges faced by our four female past BNMS Presidents, the inspirations that shaped their leadership, and the key achievements of their terms. It will also highlight their perspectives on gender equality in medicine and the evolving role of women in our specialty.

The panel will feature our first female President and my dear consultant colleague who first guided me into the world of nuclear medicine therapy during my early consultant years at Guy’s Hospital, Dr Sue Clarke. She will be joined by two iconic nuclear medicine physicians and past Presidents, Dr Mary Prescott and Dr Gill Vivian, as well as our outstanding Immediate Past President, Ms Jilly Croasdale. Together, they will share their stories, experiences, and visions for the future of our specialty.

Jilly will also deliver a dedicated talk on the molybdenum shortages and how BNMS helped navigate this challenge, offering valuable insights into resilience, advocacy, and the power of a coordinated national response.

Radiopharmaceutical Production- towards home-grown production in the UK

A major focus this month has been on fruitful discussions with industry and academic partners on the current state of radiopharmaceutical production in the UK. We are working together to advocate for a sustainable, home grown production pathway.

From the Arthur reactor to radioactive waste recycling and emerging long life fusion reactor technologies such as the Astral system, there are many avenues to explore as we work towards securing a resilient UK radiopharmaceutical supply.

On the International Stage: EANM Member Societies Council (MSC)

I am delighted to have been nominated as a member of the newly established EANM Member Societies Council (MSC) in January 2026. The core mission of the MSC is to facilitate transparent information exchange, foster deeper engagement, and promote meaningful involvement of National Delegates and National Societies within the EANM framework. The MSC serves as an intermediary advisory body designed to enhance engagement and communication between the EANM Board, National Delegates, and National Member Societies. Its purpose is to ensure that national perspectives are heard, valued, and fully integrated into the wider European strategy for Nuclear Medicine.

Prior to this, I had the privilege of serving on the Member Societies Council Piloting Group (PG), established in May 2025. Working alongside eminent European colleagues and under the leadership of Professor Andor Glaudemans (The Netherlands), we defined the scope of the MSC, developed recommendations, and proposed strategic actions to the EANM Board. Together, we produced a comprehensive 2026–2028 roadmap, outlining clear interactions, missions, responsibilities, timelines, and expected outcomes.

‘This strengthened collaboration will support a more unified European voice in advancing Nuclear Medicine, shaping policy, and driving innovation across our specialty.’

From strength to strength- abstracts for the 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting

We are delighted to announce that we have received a record 285 abstracts for the BNMS 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting, a true testament to the strength, commitment, and creativity of our community. Thank you to everyone who submitted their work. We very much look forward to seeing you all present your outstanding research, audits, quality improvement projects, and to learning together through inspiring and educational clinical cases.

We promise this will be a truly special meeting as we celebrate 60 years of excellence in Nuclear Medicine and we look forward to welcoming you to what will be our best meeting yet.

Research Champions Network Meeting

One of the highlights of January was witnessing the remarkable progress of our Research Network and receiving updates from our Research Champions leading both single centre and multi centre projects.

We have grown into a powerful collaborative community where basic scientists, translational researchers, and clinical academics exchange ideas and are already delivering meaningful results aligned with our Research Strategy. Plans for new collaborations and upcoming grant applications are well underway.

If you are interested in joining one of the projects or sharing your own research, please contact the Chair of the Network and R&I Committee, Prof Jane Sosabowski, the Deputy Chair, Prof Vineet Prakash, or any of the Research Champions listed on our website.

Looking Ahead: Dates for Your Diary - Highlights

BNMS 60th Anniversary Celebratory Event Calendar: A series of live webinars with Past BNMS Presidents: Celebrating our Past and Present, Shaping the Future: Webinar with Female Past Presidents - 10th February 2026, 6pm

Academic–Industry Forum- online event -29th January, 2pm

MRT Consortium meeting – face to face - 26th February

Event calendar – refer to BNMS website

Prof Sabina Dizdarevic
BNMS President