Laleh Rad Recognized for Contributions to Medical Imaging

Northwestern Engineering’s Laleh Rad was selected for the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research’s Council of Distinguished Investigators Class of 2026. 

Rad, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and of radiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, will be honored December 1 at the Academy’s Gold Medal & Distinguished Investigator Ceremony and Reception. This year’s class of 55 investigators is being recognized for their outstanding contributions to medical imaging.

The 2026 cohort of Distinguished Investigators includes investigators from various institutions among the Academy’s membership: academia, industry, and societies.

Owner of three patents, Rad applies computational modeling to medical imaging and medical device instrumentation, with a particular focus on improving MRI safety for patients with implants, including deep brain stimulation (DBS) and cardiovascular electronic devices. Working with MRI vendors, medical device companies, regulatory experts, and clinicians, Rad and her lab develop surgical and technological approaches to make MRI safer for pediatric and adult patients with implants.

The Council of Distinguished Investigators recognizes and celebrates the highest levels of achievement in imaging research. It’s designed to honor and encourage those who have achieved excellence in scientific research while still being involved in clinical care, though not limited to clinician scientists.

“I am deeply honored to join the Council,” Rad said. “The people on this list wrote the papers I learned from, and standing among them makes me want to work harder. There are still patients who cannot get an MRI because of a device meant to help them. That is what drives my lab, and the credit for what we have achieved so far belongs to my students and trainees. They are the engine of everything we do.”