President’s Message from Dr. Pamela Woodard

Dear Colleagues,

In the thirty years since its founding, the Academy has had a profound impact on the medical imaging research community. The Academy functions as a collective voice, bringing together academic departments, industry representatives, imaging societies, federal agencies, and patient groups to advocate for consistent federal funding for biomedical imaging research. Through the Academy’s various events and initiatives, it has increased awareness of the importance of biomedical imaging, educated policymakers, and supported the medical imaging research community. 

Congress has continued to support the NIH with robust funding, further providing critical investment for patients, families, and medical research. This sustained commitment increased the NIH funding level from $30.3 billion in FY15 to $47.7 billion in FY25, an improvement of $17.4 billion over ten years. This increase is a testament to the Academy’s advocacy efforts, as well as to investigators across the country who continuously work to improve patient outcomes through imaging. To maintain this forward momentum and ensure a future of federal support for medical imaging, the Academy continues to advocate on Capitol Hill. 

The Academy also prides itself on the engagement of early to mid-career investigators in advocacy. Through the Council of Early Career Investigators in Imaging (CECI2) program, investigators can participate in advocacy opportunities on the Hill and meet with their representatives to discuss the value of their research. The CECI2 program has over 100 members, and the Academy’s Council of Distinguished Investigators has over 600 mid-to-late career investigators. Both of these programs serve to increase investigators’ awareness of and participation in the legislative processes that affect their research and the future of medical imaging. We are proud to see continued growth for these two councils. 

The Academy’s efforts are critical to the future of medical imaging, researchers’ careers, and patient outcomes. Over the next two years as President, I will work to continue the Academy’s progress in the medical imaging community through supporting new opportunities, collaborations, and initiatives.

Pamela K. Woodard, MD
President
The Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research