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SLU Clinical Health Sciences Alumni and Faculty Receive International Research Honor

Saint Louis University (SLU) Master of Science in Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics (MIT) graduates Kyle Bauer and Alaina Lathrum partnered with SLU Clinical Health Sciences (CHS) faculty Assistant Professor Crystal Botkin, MPH, CNMT, PET; Instructor Austin Turner, MS, CNMT, PET, RT(MR); as well as two other individuals to earn one of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (JNMT) annual outstanding research articles of the year. The article that was recognized with the honor was titled: Do Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Affect F-FDG PET/CT Uptake in the Dentate Nucleus and the Globus Pallidus? A Pilot Study.

Crystal Botkin Receives Award

SNMMI President Kathleen Krisak (left) presenting CHS Assistant Professor Crystal Botkin, MPH, CNMT, PET, (right) with an award at the 2018 SNMMI Annual Meeting.

The JNMT recognizes three articles each year as the outstanding research articles. The journal’s editor-in-chief works with the board of editors to determine the winners. This year’s recipients also featured research articles produced at Duke University and Kanazawa University (located in Ishikawa, Japan). The recipients were presented their awards at the annual Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging meeting in Philadelphia, PA in late June, 2018.

The JNMT’s Editor-in-Chief, Kathy S. Thomas, MHA, CNMT, PET, was quoted in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine: Digital Newsline congratulating the teams that produced each of the research articles.

“These articles represent the broad range of investigation and practice that characterizes the rapidly changing world of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging technologies,” said Thomas. “We congratulate this year’s awardees and all those whose contributions continue to make JNMT a vital resource for a diverse and growing community.”

Botkin spoke about how meaningful earning this recognition from the JNMT was for her and for the entire research team.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized as a recipient of the JNMT Editor’s Choice Top Three Papers for 2017,” Botkin said. “Being published is an accomplishment in itself, but being picked amongst all the great articles published in this journal takes the result of the hard work and dedication to the next level.”

Botkin was happy to have the opportunity to work with such a diverse team and credited that diversity for the success of the research paper.

“The team of authors who made this paper possible is a great example of interdisciplinary collaboration,” Botkin said. “Physicians, scientists, faculty and students were involved in the research as well as the writing of this manuscript. Without a great team, this award would not have been possible.”

In addition to winning the Outstanding Research Article award, SLU CHS faculty left the annual conference with additional honors. Botkin received her fellow status with the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) and Assistant Professor Sarah Frye, MBA, CCRP, CNMT, PET, NCT, won first place for her abstract presentation.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of nearly 13,000 students on two campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.