In January 2026, Frank Korosec, PhD stepped down from his role as section chief of Imaging Sciences after 15 years of impactful leadership; passing the mantle to Alan McMillan, PhD.  

The Section of Imaging Sciences was formed in 2010 with Dr. Korosec serving as the inaugural section chief. Section members conduct research in a variety of areas and provide technical support for the imaging modalities within the department. Over the past decade, Dr. Korosec has grown the section to a robust 40 members, made countless improvements to support both researchers and research spaces, and played a key role in negotiating and overseeing the department’s research agreement with GE HealthCare (GEHC). 

Prior to assuming his current role as section chief, Dr. McMillan worked closely with Dr. Korosec as the associate section chief. During this time, he facilitated projects related to external funding and faculty compensation, gaining insight into the administrative workings of the section and larger institution, and deeper understanding of the needs of the faculty and scientists. 

Through the Q&A below, discover more insights as to how Dr. Korosec’s leadership shaped the section as we know it today, and how Dr. McMillan plans to build upon the strong foundation and legacy to shape the future of the section. 

Frank Korosec, PhD 

What are some of the accomplishments you’re most proud of from your tenure as section chief? 

I have always felt rewarded by helping others succeed. It has been a pleasure advocating for research faculty and working to build an environment that allows researchers to flourish. During my time in the role of chief of the Imaging Sciences section, I have participated in remodeling of research space, acquisition of cutting edge imaging and computer equipment, developing research processes and procedures, creating umbrella IRB protocols, hiring research support personnel (program managers, technologists, IRB specialists, grant administrators, study coordinators, etc.), organizing the support personnel into the Medical Imaging Research Support (MIRS) team, and facilitating many other innovations that have enhanced the research enterprise. 

A major accomplishment was participating in negotiating and then overseeing the Master Collaborative Research Agreement (MCRA) with our longtime collaborator GE HealthCare. This agreement resulted in more than 130 collaborative projects between UW PIs and GEHC scientists and engineers over an eleven-year term. The agreement resulted in research effort being traded for eleven imaging systems, including multiple MRI and CT scanners, a PET/MR scanner, and a PET/CT scanner cumulatively valued at more than $32 million. I also led the negotiations of the successor agreement that is ongoing for a ten-year term and has an estimated value of approximately $50 million. 

I am very proud that I was able to lead the effort of creating faculty roles for clinical physicists. Many clinical physicists in the department previously were hired into scientist track positions despite performing tasks commensurate with faculty roles. 

How has the section evolved over the past decade? 

The pace of change in research is rapid. Today, researchers are exploring topics that were barely concepts when I took this position. Researchers in the Imaging Sciences section have been pioneers in many areas of research over the years in areas such as quantitative imaging, theranostics, photon counting CT, and the overwhelming explosion of machine learning and artificial intelligence. 

Like other sections, the Imaging Sciences section has gone through a number of challenges over the years. The most notable was dealing with the complete cessation of research during the pandemic.  

Dr. McMillan served as associate section chief before taking on the role. What are some of the projects or initiatives the two of you have collaborated on for the section? 

During the time that Alan served as associate section chief, he took over the lead role of working with the faculty in the section to define a framework of expectations for faculty to obtain funding from external sources and exploring meaningful and fair incentives for achieving these levels of funding. 

Alan and I also worked together to develop a compensation plan for PhDs in the department with the goal of providing salaries that are equitable and competitive with those of faculty at peer institutions. 

Alan McMillan, PhD 

How did your time serving as associate section chief help prepare you before taking on the role of section chief? 

Working closely with Dr. Korosec as associate section chief gave me invaluable insight into the strategic and administrative operations of both the section and the department. It allowed me to look beyond my own research lab and understand the broader needs of our faculty. It was a hands-on apprenticeship in how to advocate effectively for our scientists within a large, dynamic clinical department as well as the greater institution. 

What are some of your favorite things about the field of imaging sciences? 

I love the multidisciplinary nature of imaging sciences. It is a field where physics, engineering, computer science, and biology all intersect. There is something deeply rewarding about developing a new algorithm, refining an imaging sequence, or testing new hardware, and knowing that this technology can improve how we diagnose or treat patients. You literally get to see the immediate clinical impact of your scientific curiosity. 

Why do you think it’s important that UW has an imaging sciences section within the department of radiology? 

Having a dedicated Imaging Sciences section within the Department of Radiology is what allows UW to be a global leader in medical imaging. It embeds scientists creating the technology right next to the physicians who are using it. This proximity drives clinical relevance and impact. 

What are some of the initiatives or projects that Dr. Korosec established during his tenure as section chief that you think have helped the section grow and be successful? 

Dr. Korosec’s legacy is immense. The Master Collaborative Research Agreement (MCRA) with GE HealthCare is perhaps the most transformative initiative, providing our researchers with unparalleled access to state-of-the-art equipment and solidifies a long-standing and deep industry collaboration. Additionally, his work in establishing the Medical Imaging Research Support (MIRS) team provides the infrastructure that researchers in the department need to execute complex grants and clinical trials. Finally, his advocacy for all faculty has been crucial for recruiting and retaining top-tier talent in the department. 

What are some of your ideas for projects or initiatives, or some of your goals, that you have in mind that you’d like to incorporate with the section? 

My goal is to build upon the strong foundation Dr. Korosec established. Given the current landscape of federal funding, I want to explore diversified funding streams and support early-career investigators in navigating these challenges. I am highly interested in creating frameworks to seamlessly integrate artificial Intelligence and data science tools into our research workflows, continuing to work to support clinical translation of our research outputs, and foster even stronger ties between our basic scientists and clinical subspecialties. 

Imaging technology and radiology technology are evolving quickly, where do you see the technology headed in the next decade? How do you think that will shape or impact the section moving forward? 

The next decade will be defined by a convergence of fundamental hardware breakthroughs and advanced computation. We are moving away from imaging as purely “pictures” and toward highly complex, quantitative data sets. We are seeing major leaps in core technology from ultra-high field and portable MRI systems to photon-counting CT and the rapid expansion of theranostics.  

Artificial intelligence will act as a force multiplier for these fundamental technologies. We are going to see AI enabling modalities in entirely new ways. For our section, staying at the cutting edge means we must be agile, blending traditional physics and engineering with data science to maximize the potential of these new tools. Fortunately, the environment that Dr. Korosec has helped build over this tenure puts our department in a great position to continue leadership in these areas.