WMIS Presents Commercial Innovation of the Year Award to Free Bee International for U-VET (Ultra-Versatile Tomography)

U-VET multimodal imaging platform awarded for its compact design, innovative architecture, and potential to advance preclinical research and image-guided care.

CULVER CITY, CA, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) is pleased to announce U-VET (Ultra-Versatile Tomography), developed by Free Bee International, as the winner of the 2026 Commercial Innovation of the Year Award at the World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC 2026), held September 8–11 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Presented by Freek J. Beekman, PhD, founder of Free Bee International and Professor of Applied Physics at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), U-VET was recognized for its innovative approach to multimodal imaging, integrating multiple imaging technologies into a compact, accessible, and flexible platform.

The Commercial Innovation of the Year Award recognizes outstanding technological advances from WMIC’s industry partners. Finalists are selected by the WMIS Board of Trustees based on the scientific merit and innovative potential of their submissions, with the winner determined through a live audience vote during the congress.

Advancing Multimodal Imaging Through Innovative Design:
Multimodal imaging enables researchers to investigate biological processes using complementary imaging technologies. However, integrating multiple modalities into a single platform can present challenges related to laboratory space, equipment accessibility, and workflow flexibility.

U-VET addresses these challenges through a novel, open-architecture design that integrates positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), computed tomography (CT), and optical imaging, including bioluminescence and fluorescence tomography, within a unified system.

A key innovation is the platform’s open detector arrangement, which provides direct access to the imaging region from above. This design accommodates additional procedures such as ultrasound, stereotactic injections, and biopsies during PET and SPECT acquisition, expanding opportunities for integrated imaging and image-guided research.

U-VET also features adjustable PET/SPECT detector spacing, allowing researchers to modify imaging geometry to balance spatial resolution, sensitivity, and accessible imaging volume according to their experimental needs. Redesigned, lightweight collimator components and compact optical integration further enhance the system’s versatility and ease of use.

Together, these advancements introduce a more compact and flexible approach to multimodal imaging, with the potential to expand preclinical research capabilities and support new applications in image-guided intervention.

Driving Discovery to Impact:
The recognition of U-VET reflects the theme of WMIC 2026, Driving Discovery to Impact, highlighting the role of technological innovation in advancing molecular imaging research and translating scientific discoveries into practical applications.

Free Bee International’s approach emphasizes developing new imaging technologies and collaborating with industry partners to bring scientific concepts into research and clinical practice. U-VET exemplifies this mission through its compact, adaptable design and potential to expand the capabilities of multimodal imaging.

During WMIC 2026, Free Bee International also presented its broader innovation programs during an industry-sponsored lunch session, highlighting its work in molecular imaging and radiopharmaceutical quality control.
Watch Free Bee International’s Industry-Sponsored Presentation at WMIC 2026

About Free Bee International
Free Bee International develops technologies aimed at improving patient care and medical research. Founded in 2023 by Freek Beekman, PhD, a Dutch physicist, scientist, innovator, and life science entrepreneur, the company pioneers new imaging and quality control (QC) instruments designed to advance tumor, brain, cardiac, breast, and whole-body imaging, as well as radionuclide therapy. Free Bee International’s expertise includes nuclear imaging, tracer and pharmaceutical quality control, image reconstruction, and image processing, with a focus on turning innovative ideas into practical products. For more information, visit www.freebeeint.com.

About the World Molecular Imaging Society
The World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) is dedicated to developing and promoting translational research through multimodal molecular imaging. The vision of the World Molecular Imaging Society is to globally unite and expand molecular imaging and therapy to improve human health. It is our mission to help expand the discovery and utilization of these techniques for research and clinical use by creating awareness of their benefits, advocating to solve issues and barriers that face their progress, generating world class education and training, and sponsoring needed trials and registries to support their advancement. For more information, visit www.wmis.org.

Rosemery Cook, PhD
World Molecular Imaging Society
+1 310-215-9730
rcook@wmis.org
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

Media gallery