prof. dr. ir. C. (Charalampos) Tsoumpas
Quantification in Molecular Diagnostics & Radionuclide Therapy
Field/Discipline
Expertise
I have developed advanced mathematical and computational methods that embed physics-based and physiological models into medical image reconstruction. My work helps improve the accuracy of quantitative imaging and has been adopted in clinical and commercial systems. In 2025 I became a Vici laureate, a prestigious and highly competitive research award sponsored by the Research Dutch Foundation (Domain Applied & Engineering Science) to work towards ultra-low-dose PET/CT imaging.
Research Journey
My research career began during my bachelor in Physics at the National University of Athens (1998–2002), where I designed a novel image reconstruction method using artificial neural networks—work that led to my first publication. During my MSc in Biomedical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (2002–2004), I completed a 5-month internship at Hammersmith Hospital in London. There, I developed new models for scattered photons, which led to two patents and software improvements now used in clinical systems. During my PhD at Imperial College London (2004–2007), I developed a novel reconstruction technique integrating tracer kinetics, enabling the generation of parametric images—a breakthrough now incorporated into modern PET/CT systems. As a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College London (2008–2013), I achieved two further milestones: (1) demonstrating the first use of MRI for non-rigid motion correction with one of the world’s earliest PET-MRI prototypes, and (2) showing the critical role of regularisation in motion-aware reconstruction. As a Lecturer in Medical Imaging at the University of Leeds (2013–2021), I led projects funded by national and international organisations including the Leverhulme Trust, Royal Society, UK Research Innovation councils, and the EU. Over the past two decades, my team has contributed extensively to the STIR (Software for Tomographic Image Reconstruction) open-source platform.
Recognition
My work has been acknowledged by leading professional societies. I am a Fellow of both the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine, and a Senior Member of IEEE. In 2017, I received together with my co-authors the Rotblat Medal from the Institute of Physics for a highly cited article published in Physics in Medicine & Biology.
Leadership & Collaboration
I have held leadership roles in several research networks and academic-industry collaborations. Since 2014, I have been a team leader in the Crystal Clear Collaboration coordinated by CERN. I represented the UK in two COST Actions (TD1007, TD1401), co-chaired a software working group, and led dissemination efforts. I am also a founding member of the Collaborative Computational Project: Synergistic Reconstruction in Biomedical Imaging (CCP SyneRBI).From 2015 to 2018, I served as Head of Enterprise & Innovation at the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (250 staff, 80 academics, 120 PhD students), where I enhanced industry engagement and helped secure funding from the Royal Society, MRC, and EPSRC, in collaboration with partners including Positrigo, GE Healthcare, Invicro, and Bruker. STIR is now used in Positrigo’s commercial PET scanners.
Mentorship
I have supervised 23 PhD students (12 as primary supervisor) and maintain close connections with many of them. I strongly value mentorship, team-oriented environments, and fostering research with genuine clinical relevance and novelty. I place high importance on developing well-documented open-source code to accelerate scientific progress and reproducibility. Several of my mentees have built successful careers in academia and industry. I’m particularly proud that my first two PhD students under primary supervision received the IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society Graduate Scholarship.
Research Journey
My research career began during my bachelor in Physics at the National University of Athens (1998–2002), where I designed a novel image reconstruction method using artificial neural networks—work that led to my first publication. During my MSc in Biomedical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (2002–2004), I completed a 5-month internship at Hammersmith Hospital in London. There, I developed new models for scattered photons, which led to two patents and software improvements now used in clinical systems. During my PhD at Imperial College London (2004–2007), I developed a novel reconstruction technique integrating tracer kinetics, enabling the generation of parametric images—a breakthrough now incorporated into modern PET/CT systems. As a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College London (2008–2013), I achieved two further milestones: (1) demonstrating the first use of MRI for non-rigid motion correction with one of the world’s earliest PET-MRI prototypes, and (2) showing the critical role of regularisation in motion-aware reconstruction. As a Lecturer in Medical Imaging at the University of Leeds (2013–2021), I led projects funded by national and international organisations including the Leverhulme Trust, Royal Society, UK Research Innovation councils, and the EU. Over the past two decades, my team has contributed extensively to the STIR (Software for Tomographic Image Reconstruction) open-source platform.
Recognition
My work has been acknowledged by leading professional societies. I am a Fellow of both the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine, and a Senior Member of IEEE. In 2017, I received together with my co-authors the Rotblat Medal from the Institute of Physics for a highly cited article published in Physics in Medicine & Biology.
Leadership & Collaboration
I have held leadership roles in several research networks and academic-industry collaborations. Since 2014, I have been a team leader in the Crystal Clear Collaboration coordinated by CERN. I represented the UK in two COST Actions (TD1007, TD1401), co-chaired a software working group, and led dissemination efforts. I am also a founding member of the Collaborative Computational Project: Synergistic Reconstruction in Biomedical Imaging (CCP SyneRBI).From 2015 to 2018, I served as Head of Enterprise & Innovation at the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (250 staff, 80 academics, 120 PhD students), where I enhanced industry engagement and helped secure funding from the Royal Society, MRC, and EPSRC, in collaboration with partners including Positrigo, GE Healthcare, Invicro, and Bruker. STIR is now used in Positrigo’s commercial PET scanners.
Mentorship
I have supervised 23 PhD students (12 as primary supervisor) and maintain close connections with many of them. I strongly value mentorship, team-oriented environments, and fostering research with genuine clinical relevance and novelty. I place high importance on developing well-documented open-source code to accelerate scientific progress and reproducibility. Several of my mentees have built successful careers in academia and industry. I’m particularly proud that my first two PhD students under primary supervision received the IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society Graduate Scholarship.
Other positions
Editorial Board, EANM Innovate journal
Editorial Board, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging
Specialty Chief Editor, Frontiers in Nuclear Medicine
Guest Associate Editor, Medical Physics
Editorial Board, International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences
Team Leader (UMCG), Crystal Clear Collaboration
Executive Advisor, Positrigo AG
Editorial Board, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging
Specialty Chief Editor, Frontiers in Nuclear Medicine
Guest Associate Editor, Medical Physics
Editorial Board, International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences
Team Leader (UMCG), Crystal Clear Collaboration
Executive Advisor, Positrigo AG
| Last modified: | 27 July 2025 08.31 a.m. |