Richard E. Carson received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1983 in Biomathematics. His research focuses on the development and application of mathematical techniques for the study of human beings and non-human primates with Positron Emission Tomography (PET).  After 22 years in the PET program at the National Institutes of Health, in 2005, Dr. Carson joined the faculty of Yale University as Professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. He is Emeritus Director of the Yale PET Center and is also Director of Graduate Studies in Biomedical Engineering at Yale.

Dr. Carson’s research interests are concentrated in 1) New algorithms for PET image recon­struction, 2) Development of mathematical models for novel radiopharmaceuticals, 3) Use of receptor-binding ligands to measure drug occupancy and dynamic changes in neurotransmitters, and 4) applications of PET tracers in clinical populations and preclinical models of disease, including neuropsychiatric disorders, diabetes, and cancer.

Dr. Carson has published over 375  papers in peer-reviewed journals and given over 175 invited lectures. His awards include the Kuhl-Lassen award from the Brain Imaging Council of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, membership in the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the Edward J. Hoffman Memorial Award from the Computer and Instrumentation Council of the Society of Nuclear Medicine,  the Distinguished Investigator Award from the Academy of Radiology Research, the Edward J. Hoffman Medical Imaging Scientist Award from the IEEE, the Henry Wagner lectureship of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, and a fellow of the IEEE.