Prof (PhD) Michelle James

Prof Michelle L. James is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Radiology and Neurology within the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford University (MIPS), US. She studied pharmacology and medicinal chemistry at the University of Sydney, where she also earned her PhD in radiochemistry/pharmacology. She leads the James Lab at Stanford, focused on developing novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracers to visualise immune cells and inflammatory processes in the body. A key focus of her work is improving the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases by developing translational molecular imaging agents to study neuroimmune interactions in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, ME/CFS and stroke. Her research aims to understand how the brain a and its resident immune cells communicate with the peripheral immune system across all stages of disease. To archive this, clinically relevant immune cell biomarkers are identified and characterised, forming the basis fort he development of highly targeted imaging agents. After preclinical trials, the most promising candidates are used in clinical use. This approach enables more precise application of immunomodulatory therapies and allows real-time monitoring of treatment response.

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