Nuclear Medicine Society (Singapore) (NMS(S)) Mourns Loss of Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir
Sean Yan
Commemoration for Dr. Gambhir on behalf of NMS(S)
It is with a heavy heart that I heard that Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, passed away on 18/07/2020.
Dr. Gambhir was an uncommonly talented physician-scientist. Born in India and raised in United States, he is highly respected for his pioneering work, his visionary and inspirational contributions in and beyond the field of molecular imaging.
Commemoration for Dr. Gambhir on behalf of NMS(S)
It is with a heavy heart that I heard that Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, passed away on 18/07/2020.
Dr. Gambhir was an uncommonly talented physician-scientist. Born in India and raised in United States, he is highly respected for his pioneering work, his visionary and inspirational contributions in and beyond the field of molecular imaging.
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I first heard of Gambhir’s name was in my junior year of residency when reading his landmark paper on cost-effectiveness analysis of PET scan in lung cancer patient which established the foundation for Medicare reimbursement for this young, novel technique.
Since then although I had been keenly following him because of the admiration of his great work in Stanford, I had never had the luck to acquaint him until we both attended a ‘molecular imaging and theranostics’ forum held in Peking Union Hospital, China in the summer of 2018.
During the forum, I proposed to him the idea of inviting him to visit Singapore as a HMDP expert for 1 week in 2019. He happily accepted the invitation and indicated the only week with feasibility of December 16-20th, 2019, due to his busy schedule. My proposal was fully supported by Professor David Ng, president of NMSS and further by Ministry of Health. Dr. Gambhir was announced to be our honourable visiting expert for 2019 and whole nuclear medicine community in Singapore was on the tiptoe of expectation for his coming.
Following 2019 SNM meeting in Anaheim, California in June, I flew to Vanderbilt to see Dr. Gary Smith, my former program director who was also our HMDP visiting expert for 2013 and happened to be Dr. Gambhir’s buddy in graduate study back in late 1980s in UCLA, under an outstanding Taiwanese scientist Dr. Henry Huang. Knowing that Sam Gambhir was chosen to be our next visiting expert, Gary joyfully recalled a few funny clips of their training life together in UCLA. He mentioned Sam was often able to accomplish a 3-month assignment within 3 days that seriously upset Henry Huang because Henry was tired of always trying to find something to keep his graduate student busy. Sam Gambhir is so genuinely bright that it is a fortune for our profession to have him!
Eventually, Dr. Gambhir was unable to fulfil his commitment to Singapore due to progression of his disease and scheduled treatment but we are still grateful for his kind intention.
I walked with a giant for a tiny bit of time and I am out of words learning about Dr. Gambhir‘s passing. What an immense loss this is personally, and for the community in Singapore and field of nuclear medicine! Dr. Sam Gambhir will be deeply missed by his colleagues in Singapore.
Rest in peace!
Since then although I had been keenly following him because of the admiration of his great work in Stanford, I had never had the luck to acquaint him until we both attended a ‘molecular imaging and theranostics’ forum held in Peking Union Hospital, China in the summer of 2018.
During the forum, I proposed to him the idea of inviting him to visit Singapore as a HMDP expert for 1 week in 2019. He happily accepted the invitation and indicated the only week with feasibility of December 16-20th, 2019, due to his busy schedule. My proposal was fully supported by Professor David Ng, president of NMSS and further by Ministry of Health. Dr. Gambhir was announced to be our honourable visiting expert for 2019 and whole nuclear medicine community in Singapore was on the tiptoe of expectation for his coming.
Following 2019 SNM meeting in Anaheim, California in June, I flew to Vanderbilt to see Dr. Gary Smith, my former program director who was also our HMDP visiting expert for 2013 and happened to be Dr. Gambhir’s buddy in graduate study back in late 1980s in UCLA, under an outstanding Taiwanese scientist Dr. Henry Huang. Knowing that Sam Gambhir was chosen to be our next visiting expert, Gary joyfully recalled a few funny clips of their training life together in UCLA. He mentioned Sam was often able to accomplish a 3-month assignment within 3 days that seriously upset Henry Huang because Henry was tired of always trying to find something to keep his graduate student busy. Sam Gambhir is so genuinely bright that it is a fortune for our profession to have him!
Eventually, Dr. Gambhir was unable to fulfil his commitment to Singapore due to progression of his disease and scheduled treatment but we are still grateful for his kind intention.
I walked with a giant for a tiny bit of time and I am out of words learning about Dr. Gambhir‘s passing. What an immense loss this is personally, and for the community in Singapore and field of nuclear medicine! Dr. Sam Gambhir will be deeply missed by his colleagues in Singapore.
Rest in peace!
