Profile Detail

Sina Tavakoli, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor and Chief of Cardiothoracic Imaging
E-Mail: 

Interest (in 3 to 10 words): Cardiothoracic Radiology

Education
Medical / Graduate School MD: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
PhD: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Residency University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Clinical / Post-doctoral Fellowship Clinical Fellowship: University of Washington
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Yale University & University of Southern California
Current
Specialties
& Programs
PET
MR
CT
Nuclear Medicine
Clinical
Pre-clinical
Translational
Clinical Interest - Cardiac and Thoracic Radiology
Research Interest - Molecular imaging of inflammation in pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases
- Macrophage immunometabolism
Selected Publications   - Mannes PZ, Barnes CE, Biermann J, Latoche JD, Day KE, Zhu Q, Tabary M, Xiong Z, Nedrow JR, Izar B, Anderson CJ, Villanueva FS, Lee JS, Tavakoli S. Molecular Imaging of Chemokine-Like Receptor 1 (CMKLR1) in Experimental Acute Lung Injury. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 2023; 120(3): e2216458120

- Mannes PZ, Tavakoli S. Imaging immunometabolism in atherosclerosis. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2021; 62(7):896-902.

- Demirdelen S, Mannes PZ, Aral AM, Haddad J, Leers SA, Gomez D, Tavakoli S. Divergence of acetate uptake in polarized macrophages: Implications for imaging atherosclerosis. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology. 2022; 29(3):1266-1276.

- Haddad J, Latoche JD, Nigam S, Bellavia MC, Day KE, Zhu Q, Edwards WB, Anderson CJ, Tavakoli S. Molecular Imaging of Very Late Antigen-4 in Acute Lung Injury. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2021;62(2):280-286.

- Tavakoli S, Short JD, Downs K, Nguyen HN, Lai Y, Zhang W, Jerabek P, Goins B, Sadeghi MM, Asmis R. Differential Regulation of Macrophage Glucose Metabolism by M-CSF and GM-CSF: Implications for 18F-FDG PET Imaging of Vessel Wall Inflammation. Radiology. 2017; 283(1):87-97.

- Tavakoli S, Downs K, Short JD, Nguyen HN, Lai Y, Jerabek P, Goins B, Toczek J, Sadeghi MM, Asmis R. Improved Characterization of Macrophage Polarization States Using Combined Measurement of 2-Deoxyglucose and Glutamine Accumulation: Implications for Imaging of Atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2017;37(10):1840-1848.

- Tavakoli S, Vashist A, Sadeghi MM. Molecular Imaging of Plaque Vulnerability. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology. 2014; 21(64), 1112-28.

- Tavakoli S, Zamora D, Ullevig S, Asmis R. Bioenergetic Profiles Diverge During Macrophage Polarization: Implications for the Interpretation of 18F-FDG PET Imaging of Atherosclerosis. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2013; 54(9): 1661-7.

- Tavakoli S, Asmis R. Reactive Oxygen Species and Thiol Redox Signaling in the Macrophage Biology of Atherosclerosis. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2012;17(12):1785-1795.

- Restrepo CS, Tavakoli S, Marmol-Velez A. Contrast Enhanced Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging. MRI Clinics of North America. 2012; 20(4):739-60.

- Tavakoli S, Razavian M, Zhang J, Nie L, Marfatia R, Dobrucki LW, Sinusas AJ, Robinson S, Edwards DS, Sadeghi MM. Matrix metalloproteinase activation predicts amelioration of remodeling following dietary modification in injured arteries. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2011; 31(1):102-9.

- Tavakoli S, Sadeghi MM. Imaging of Vascular Biology in the Heart. Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports. 2009;2(1):40-9.
Honors and  
Awards
2023 - Present: Editorial board member, Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging
2020 - Present: Editorial board member, Journal of Nuclear Cardiology
2022: Editors Recognition Award for Reviewing with Special Distinction, Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging
2020: Editors Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction, Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging
2016: RSNA Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award
2015: Editors Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction, Radiology
2013: RSNA William W. Olmsted Editorial Fellowship
2009: RSNA Young Investigator Award in Molecular Imaging
PubMed Publications   See a listing of publications on PubMed, a service of the National Library of medicine.