Samuel Achilefu PhD

Dr. Samuel Achilefu is the Michel M. Ter-Pogossian Professor of Radiology. He holds joint appointments as a Professor in Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering. He currently serves the Chief of the Optical Radiology Laboratory, Director of the Molecular Imaging Center, Director of the Center for Multiple Myeloma Nanotherapy, and co-Leader of the Oncologic Imaging Program of the Siteman Cancer Center. Dr. Achilefu is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Optical Society of America, SPIE, and the Academy of Science – St. Louis.

Dr. Achilefu is an expert in the development of molecular probes and fluorescence imaging methods for cancer applications. He led the development of a novel wearable cancer vision goggles for the accurate removal of cancer cells during surgery. Recently, he discovered a novel treatment paradigm for cancer using a special type of light and non-therapeutic doses of drugs to selectively trigger cancer cell death without harming healthy tissue. Dr. Achilefu has published more than 250 scientific papers and he is the inventor of 56 issued US patents. He has received several honors and award, including the Distinguished Investigator Award (Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.