VUMC Radiology congratulates Junzhong Xu, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, for being selected to the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research’s Council of Distinguished Investigators.
“As a physicist, I focus on radiology research using my physics expertise, and I am very happy that my efforts have been recognized," says Dr. Xu. "More importantly, this award is not just a recognition of myself, but of my numerous mentors, collaborators, and teammates. I am honored to join many of my colleagues who have already received this award. The more Vanderbilt folks that join the Council of Distinguished Investigators of the Academy, the more Vanderbilt Radiology is strengthened as one of the top imaging research institutions in the country.”
Dr. Xu was appointed to the council’s 2022 class and received an award for his achievement at the annual RSNA conference in Chicago in November 2022.
To be considered for this distinction, nominees must hold a primary appointment in an academic department of radiology, have a minimum of 25 peer-reviewed scientific research publications in which they are a first or senior author, and have at least six cumulative years of funding experience as the principal investigator of major competitive extramural research grants.
The Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research established the distinguished investigator award in 2012 to “acknowledge and celebrate high levels of achievement in the field of academic imaging research.” So far, the council has nearly 500 imaging investigators.
Dr. Xu received both his M.S. and Ph.D in Physics from Vanderbilt University. He earned his B.S. from the University of Science and Technology of China in Beijing. Since joining Vanderbilt, Dr. Xu has focused on the development, validation, optimization, and evaluation of advanced quantitative MRI methods in applications such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, working on various projects and authoring numerous academic papers.
