Fabrice Sim�on, Ph.D. is a Visiting Fellow in the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Molecular Imaging Branch at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Sim�on obtained a Diploma of Applied Studies under the supervision of Dr. Serge Masson at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS - France) and later, he received an award to join the group of Prof. Didier Villemin (High Institute of Matter and Atomic Rays - University of Caen) for his PhD. Dr. Sim�on�s research focused on the development of fast synthesis processes and the use of different activating methods that improved the chemical reactivity and selectivity of various chemical reactions. He has improved the yields and the conditions of an important number of reactions by using microwave irradiation (Mannich, Arbusov, Michaelis, etc�), and he was also involved in the development of several new organometallic and hybrid catalysts including palladium, bismuth, tellurium and aluminum catalysts.

       In 2000 he received an award from the French Energy Atomic Commission (CEA) for a position as a Postdoctoral Engineer in the group of Dr. Louisa Barr� (GIP-Cyceron). He successfully realized the synthesis and the [¹¹C]-carbon radiolabeling of tpA-Stop, (inhibitor of the trypsine plasminogen activator), an efficient ligand used in the study and for the treatment of cerebral ischemia.

       Dr. Sim�on joined Dr. Victor Pike�s group at NIMH in 2003. His research currently involves the design and the synthesis of new ligands with high affinity at the metabotropic glutamate receptor, subtype 5 (mGluR5). This receptor is used for the study of certain brain disorders or cerebral diseases (depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson�s disease �). SAR studies allow the preparation of specific molecules and the most potent candidates can be further labeled with [¹¹C]-carbon or [¹⁸F]-fluorine for in vivo brain imaging with monkeys.

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