Raichle Awarded Honorary WashU Doctorate

Marcus E. Raichle, MD, the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Medicine and a researcher in the Neuroimaging Labs Research Center (NIL-RC) at WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR), was awarded an honorary Doctor of Medicine degree during the university’s 165th commencement ceremony.

Raichle is a pioneer in the study of human brain function through the development and application of positron emission tomography (PET), and helped lay the physiological foundation for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). His discoveries about the brain — its specialized networks, resting state and “dark energy” — have transformed the history and science of brain imaging.

Recognized as “one of the most influential brain scientists of the modern era,” Raichle is a distinguished leader in neuroscience and is affiliated with both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His numerous accolades include the MetLife Foundation Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease and the Kavli Prize for Neuroscience. He was also a 2024 MIR Evens Society honoree in recognition of his significant contributions to the advancement of radiology.

Raichle has served on the WashU faculty for more than 50 years and has appointments in radiology, neurology, neuroscience and biomedical engineering. During the 1970s, he helped establish the NIL-RC and served as its director until 2017.

Read more about Raichle’s conferment from WashU.