Dr. Robert Tarzwell is a dual-certified specialist in psychiatry and nuclear medicine. His main area of clinical and research interest is functional brain imaging in psychiatric disorders, particularly the use of brain perfusion SPECT and FDG PET in traumatic brain injury with unresolved psychiatric symptoms. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor on the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Radiology, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Psychiatry.
He is co-author of the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine Guidelines on the use of brain perfusion SPECT, published in July 2021 and accepted into the CMA INFOBASE in February 2022.
Dr. Tarzwell holds an MD (Manitoba, 2001), and FRCPC certification in both Psychiatry (Dalhousie, 2006) and Nuclear Medicine (UBC, 2012).
Chief Physician/Professor, Molecular Radiotherapy & Nuclear Medicine, Docrates Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland (retired)
Visiting Professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
President Elect 2024-2025, World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy (WARMTH)
Prof Kairemo graduated with a MSc (Eng) degree from Helsinki University of Technology (Chemical Engineering) in 1980 before undertaking medical training (MD (86), PhD (93)) at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
He undertook specialist training in Clinical Chemistry (94), Nuclear Medicine (96), Health Care Administration (02) and Pharmaceutical Medicine (06) at Helsinki University Central Hospital. He had a post-doctoral research fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1989-93 in New York. Besides homeland Finland he is licensed medical specialist in Norway (1998), Sweden (2001) and Estonia (2010).
Prof Kairemo has held posts as Professor in Clinical Chemistry at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (1998-9), Professor in Nuclear Medicine at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden (2001-5) and as Head of the Nuclear Medicine Division, Department of Oncology at Helsinki University Central Hospital (2004-9). In 2009-2018, he has been the Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Radiotherapy (Theragnostics) at the Docrates Cancer Center, in Helsinki. Since 2015 he has acted as Visiting Professor in the Nuclear Medicine Department of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, TX; last visits in 2019 and 2022.
Prof Kairemo has also held posts in industry, as Medical Director of CTT Cancer Targeting Technologies Oy (2001-6), Medical Director of Imanext Oy (2006-8) and Clinical Director at Advanced Accelerator Applications SA (St Genis Pouilly, France) in 2009 (now Novartis Co.).
Prof Kairemo has wide experience in the development of tumour-seeking compounds, including monoclonal antibodies, specific phage-display peptides and cytotoxic drugs, and he has coordinated several EU Research Programme proposals, including as the National Coordinator and Management Committee Member for the European Union COST Action Project (BM 0607, Targeted Radionuclide Therapy) in 2007-11. He also served as Governing Body Member of the World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy (WARMTH) in 2009-12 and again 2018-21, and now as President-Elect 2022-23 before Presidency in 2024-25. He has also been active in hosting short-term scientific visits for students from developing countries.
Besides a few patents prof Kairemo has published more than 250 original publications in peer-reviewed journals (h-index 34). He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy in 2012 and was President of the 7th International Conference on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy held in November 2012 in Levi in Finnish Lapland. In 2014, Dr Kairemo hosted ISORBE Symposium and Workshop “Cell Labelling and Cell Therapies” in Helsinki. He organized also the 14th International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (WARMTH) in November 2018 in Helsinki.
Our clinic is welcoming and designed for patient comfort. INITIO was designed for patient comfort and prioritizes patient needs and care. Every INITIO patient will have a private room for the injection and uptake process, in preparation for the scan.
#300 – 3185 Willingdon Green
Burnaby, BC V5G 4P3
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM
