Agoura Hills scientist helps beat Alzheimer’s

Dr. Michael E. Phelps of Encino and Dr. Jorge Barrio of Agoura Hills of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA were recently recognized at the Society of Nuclear Medicine’s annual conference for their inventions in the field of nuclear medicine.

Barrio, a UCLA professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, received the 2002 Aebersold Award for lifetime achievement in the basic sciences. He was recognized for inventing a new molecular probe and combining it with PET to create the first technique to image early signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the living brain. Barrio serves on the AMI board of directors and is editor-in-chief of Molecular Imaging and Biology.

"I feel humbled and deeply honored by this award. It would not have been possible without my students, post-doctoral fellows and colleagues at UCLA" said Barrio. "This award recognizes all the basic scientists who have laid the foundation and brought our discipline to where it is today."

First presented in 1973, Barrio’s award is named after Dr. Paul C. Aebersold, a pioneer in the biologic and medical application of radioactive materials, and first director of the Atomic Energy Commission’s Division of Isotope Development.