Dr. Elba Etchebehere, nuclear medicine physician, professor at the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Campinas (FCM/Unicamp) and Principal Investigator at CEPID CancerThera, has consolidated a series of institutional achievements that expand the international visibility of Brazilian research in Nuclear Medicine.
These new positions highlight the growing — and increasingly valued — role of researchers who move between scientific production and institutional governance, as is the case with Etchebehere. By occupying leadership spaces, researchers are able to influence scientific policies, clinical guidelines, and international cooperation agendas.
For CancerThera, the presence of one of its members in strategic positions in Latin America and on the global stage strengthens the center’s capacity for articulation in its core areas, such as Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiopharmacy. This set of achievements projects not only the researcher’s individual trajectory but also the maturity of Brazilian research in the international scientific environment.
President-Elect of the ALASBIMMN
On February 15, during the World Federation Congress in Cartagena, she was named President-Elect of the Latin American Association of Societies of Biology, Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (ALASBIMMN) for the 2026–2028 term. The organization brings together national societies from Latin America and the Caribbean with the mission of strengthening regional integration, promoting scientific research, and expanding safe access to Nuclear Medicine technologies.
“Assuming the presidency of ALASBIMMN is an opportunity to contribute to a more integrated Latin American Nuclear Medicine agenda, especially at a strategic moment for the region, which is seeking to harmonize quality standards and expand radionuclide therapy within its health systems,” says Etchebehere, who is also president of the Brazilian Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SBMN), a founding member state of ALASBIMMN.
Governance of the World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy
Etchebehere was also elected to the governance board (2026–2027) of the World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy (WARMTH), a global organization dedicated specifically to radionuclide molecular therapy and the theranostics model.
WARMTH promotes science, education, standardization of best practices, and the expansion of global access to radiopharmaceutical therapies, especially in developing countries. Her election reinforces Brazil’s presence in strategic discussions about the future of nuclear therapy. “I am confident that my work within WARMTH will strengthen the global articulation needed to expand access to radionuclide therapies in a safe and evidence-based manner,” she says.
Text: Romulo Santana Osthues | Photos: Personal archive
