Michael Zalutsky, Ph.D.

Michael Zalutsky, Ph.D., is a cofounder of Z-Alpha Therapeutics and serves as its Chief Technology Officer. He is also the Jonathan Spicehandler, M.D., Professor in Radiology and Radiation Oncology at Duke University Medical School as well as Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory. The author of more than 400 scientific publications and patents, his primary research interest is radiochemistry applied to targeted radionuclide therapy and molecular imaging. A major focus of his research has been the development of targeted radiotherapeutics labeled with the α-particle emitter ²¹¹At, including its production, labeling chemistry, radiation dosimetry and first clinical translation of an ²¹¹At-labeled targeted radiotherapeutic. In addition, his laboratory has been responsible for the development and validation of some of the most widely used methodologies for labeling proteins including nanobodies with radiohalogens including ¹⁸F, ¹³¹I and ²¹¹At. Dr. Zalutsky’s awards include the Aebersold Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Nuclear Medicine Science, and a MERIT Award from the National Cancer Institute for his research in targeted α-particle radiotherapy. Prior to joining the faculty at Duke, Dr. Zalutsky held positions at Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago, and Harvard Medical School.