Leadership Seminar Series: Molecular Theranostics with Integrated Photoacoustics/Ultrasound (PAUS)

Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/11/2016
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Matthew O’Donnell, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington

 

Molecular Theranostics with Integrated Photoacoustics/Ultrasound (PAUS)

With recent developments in molecular-scale bioconjugated contrast agents and integrated system design, photoacoustics (PA) is rapidly bringing molecular sensitivity to ultrasound (US) imaging for many biomedical applications. The same agents can potentially be used for molecularly-targeted therapies as well, opening the possibility for molecular theranostics using integrated photoacoustics/ultrasonics (PAUS). In this presentation, we will explore a class of nanoemulsion-based contrast agents that can potentially be used for photoacoustic imaging, ultrasonic imaging, and molecularly-targeted therapies combining light/ultrasound excitation. In particular, excitation techniques have been developed exploiting the non-linear characteristics of the nanoemulsions to provide both high sensitivity and specificity for molecular imaging and therapy. Finally, a system capable of integrated PAUS imaging at real-time frame rates will be presented that can monitor molecular theranostic procedures enabled by these nanoemulsions.

Short Bio:
Following undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral training at Notre Dame and Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. O’Donnell joined General Electric Corporate Research and Development Center in Schenectady, NY in 1980, where he worked on medical electronics, including MRI and ultrasound imaging systems. In 1990, he moved to University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI where he held appointments in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and in Biomedical Engineering. In 1998, he was named the Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin Professor of Engineering. From 1999-2006 he also served as Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department. In 2006 he moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, WA where he was the Frank and Julie Jungers Dean of Engineering from 2006-2012. He is now Frank and Julie Jungers Dean Emeritus and a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington. His most recent research has explored new imaging modalities, including elasticity imaging, in vivo microscopy, optoacoustic arrays, photoacoustic contrast agents for molecular imaging and therapy, thermal strain imaging, and catheter-based devices. He has won numerous awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Notre Dame, the Achievement Award from the IEEE-UFFC Society and the William J. Morlock Award for Excellence in Biomedical Technology from the IEEE-EMBS Society. He is a fellow of the IEEE and AIMBE and is a member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.