Terry O. Matsunaga, PhD, PharmD

Professor, Medical Imaging and Biomedical Engineering

Links

Terry Matsunaga, PhD, PharmD, joined the University of Arizona in 2007 after 16 years in the private sector, where he was a primary developer of lipid-coated microbubbles that have been approved by the FDA and sold under the brand name Definity. In addition, Dr. Matsunaga focused his attention on the use of ultrasound-mediated bubble cavitation for dispersing of clots (sonothrombolysis). Currently, his efforts focus upon targeted microbubbles for cancer imaging as well as drug and gene delivery. His most recent efforts revolve around phase-change contrast agents for tumor detection and extravascular applications. Since 2010, Dr. Matsunaga has chaired the steering committee for the NHLBI SMARTT (Science Moving Towards Research Translation and Therapy) Program.

Dr. Matsunaga was recently elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

Degree(s)

PhD: Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, 1987
PharmD: University of California, San Francisco, 1980
AB: Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Residency

University of Michigan, Clinical Pharmacy Residency, 1981

Fellowship

University of Arizona Dept. of Chemistry, NIDA post-doctoral fellowship, 1990

University of Arizona Dept. of Chemistry, Postdoctoral Scholar, 1987-1988/1990-1992

Honors and Awards

Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2021