2024 was a year full of unforgettable milestones and remarkable accomplishments. Take a trip with us down memory lane to relive some of the most impactful and memorable moments. We announced vital partnerships, launched new services and programs, celebrated many “firsts”, and marked a new chapter in BAMF Health’s growth. Let’s take a stroll through this year’s biggest wins!
Ferris State University Partnership
In March, BAMF Health and Ferris State University signed an official agreement to partner together to advance nuclear medicine, grow Michigan’s workforce, and provide educational opportunities for students. The ultimate goal is to support the growing Theranostics field and further position our state as a hub for innovative technology and transformative healthcare.
This partnership was further reinforced when Ferris State President Bill Pink and BAMF CEO Anthony Chang co-authored an October commentary in Crain’s Grand Rapids. The article called on business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare providers, and policymakers to help equip the next generation of innovators to continue to transform our state.
First-in-Human Clinical Trial
We have a reputation for offering the most advanced novel radiopharmaceutical clinical trials in the world, and in April, we proved it. In partnership with Nihon Medi-Physics, we imaged the first person in the world using a novel molecular imaging agent for pancreatic cancer.
See the story on WZZM 13 News.
Pancreatic cancer accounts for only 3% of all cancers in the U.S., but it is the deadliest. Without a targeted molecular imaging agent to detect tumors early, most patients discover their cancer in a late stage. BAMF Health research nurse Lisa experienced this firsthand with her father. She shared the inspiring story behind her mission to improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.
Whole-Body MR
Most of us will never see what our entire body looks like on the inside. We sit around wondering if something inside may cause problems later. For those who don’t want to wait, there’s an option. Early this year, we launched our whole-body MR scan program. This safe, fast, and high-quality scan screens for conditions like cancer, cysts, spinal degeneration, and other abnormalities. It’s a proactive step you can take to understand what’s there and prevent what’s not.
While the scan is not covered by insurance, it is just another tool you can use to be proactive about your health. Our Manager of Program Development and External Relations, Andy McLean, described his reason for getting the scan.
FutureSolve
In June, we partnered with Ferris State and Kent ISD to launch a 6-week hands-on learning program for high school students. The program called FutureSolve not only exposed 16 students to real-world science, engineering, and math experiences and challenges, they walked away with college credit. The students came from East Kentwood, Grand Rapids Public, and East Grand Rapids school districts.
WOOD-TV’s Maranda stopped by to see students in action and talked to them about the impact this program was having on their education. FutureSolve was such a success that we are in talks with Kent ISD and Ferris State to continue the program in 2025.
Statewide Marketing Campaign
We launched our very first marketing and advertising campaign in July with the theme, Cancer Won’t Wait. The three-month statewide campaign leveraged billboards, radio, social media, news outlets, and even TV commercials during the Olympics to raise brand awareness and promote our life-saving technology.
We achieved several goals through the campaign: educated people about Theranostics and molecular imaging, made potential patients aware of our services and treatments, and connected with providers, referral networks, and potential partners. Crain’s Grand Rapids highlighted the success of our campaign and the reason behind our messaging.
Weekly and Monthly Newsletters
This year, we launched two email newsletters called This Week in Theranostics and the BAMF Bulletin.
The Theranostics newsletter is a weekly summary of the latest molecular imaging and molecular therapy research studies. We break the research down into short, easy-to-digest overviews alongside clever imagery.
The BAMF Bulletin is a monthly newsletter covering the latest news, developments, stories, and clinical trials happening at BAMF. We share links to recent articles and patient stories, and let you know about team awards, events, and breakthroughs.
Make sure you don’t miss out by subscribing today!
Alzheimer’s Consults, Imaging, & Therapy
At the end of 2023, the FDA finally approved treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease, and in October of 2024, we began offering them! Not only do we offer treatments, we also offer initial consultations, diagnostic PET and MRI imaging, and follow-up care—making us a one-stop-shop for Alzheimer’s Disease.
If you think you or a loved one are showing early signs of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s, the first step is an evaluation by one of our physicians. Following the evaluation, patients may be recommended to get an amyloid PET scan and brain MRI. If the evaluation and imaging confirm early-stage Alzheimer’s, patients may have the option to begin treatment. These IV infusion treatments are delivered here at BAMF, meaning Alzheimer’s patients can expect the same exceptional patient care and conveniences as all of our patients.
AI Team is Published
In October, our incredibly talented AI team had their research published in Nature Scientific Data. The research leveraged AI to enhance cancer detection by analyzing thousands of PET, CT, and MRI scans from NCI’s Imaging Data Commons (IDC).
Our team developed 11 AI algorithms to distinguish cancerous tumors from healthy tissue in lung, liver, prostate, breast, and brain cancers, analyzing over 6,000 scans. The resulting AI-generated annotations are publicly available for researchers in the ICD under the BAMF-AI-Annotations collection.
Anthony is National Finalist in EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Our fearless leader, Anthony Chang, received many notable recognitions and awards in 2024, but the most prestigious was being named a National Finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards. He was selected from a total of 214 regional winners from 185 U.S. companies. EY also recognized Anthony as one of the Top 5 Healthcare Entrepreneurs in the country.
While it’s Anthony’s name on these awards, he emphasizes that they belong to all BAMFers. Our team’s dedication and determination have helped position him and our entire organization among the most esteemed in the country.
BAMF Health Hosts ATAWM Symposium
In November, we hosted the ATAWM + Central Chapter of SNMMI Roadshow. The sold-out CME event featured 10 industry-leading speakers including BAMF Health Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Harshad Kulkarni and nuclear medicine technologist Fernando Anleu. More than 100 people joined us in person and 80 others joined virtually.
This was a unique opportunity to gather nuclear medicine and clinical experts from across the state to learn, share, grow, and innovate. We look forward to more events like this in the future.
Foundation for Medical Advancement and Breakthroughs
In December, we officially launched our non-profit foundation called the Foundation for Medical Advancement and Breakthroughs (FMAB). FMAB was established to support three key initiatives: patient access, education, and research. And our first major donor was Detroit rocker Kid Rock!
He told us, “I would like my foundation to be the first one to donate to this incredible foundation in my father’s memory,” said Robert Ritchie (Kid Rock). “We all knew that if the treatments he was receiving at BAMF Health had been around 5-10 years earlier, our father would still be with us. As a family, we hope to spread the word about how BAMF Health is helping change the lives of those with cancer.”
FMAB is just another way we’re working to make precision medicine accessible and affordable as soon as possible. Read more in Crain’s Grand Rapids.
We’re Going to Detroit!
It’s official, we’re opening an advanced comprehensive Theranostics center in downtown Detroit! Our new facility will be located within Bedrock’s 14-acre Gratiot Site campus—just around the corner from landmarks like Ford Field, the Greektown Casino, and Comerica Park. We will occupy space in the new Life Sciences Innovation Building alongside others, including Ferris State University, Wayne State University, and Michigan Innovation Headquarters (MI-HQ). The site currently houses the now-vacant juvenile detention facility.
We are excited to contribute to the Gratiot Site’s incredibly rich medical, entrepreneurial, and cultural history. Set within the entrepreneurially rich Black Bottom neighborhood, this site was once home to hundreds of Black-owned businesses, including several independent pharmacies and medical offices.
This facility will be similar to our Grand Rapids headquarters and include a radiopharmacy, molecular imaging clinic, and molecular therapy clinic.
