Organizers: Ze’ev Bomzon, Punit Prakash
The start of the 20th century saw ionizing radiation therapy emerging as a first energy-based treatment for cancer. Over the last 50 years additional energy-based methods for cancer treatment have emerged, including focused ultrasound, thermal ablation, electroporation, targeted drug delivery and Tumor Treating electric Fields. These modes of treatment are being integrated into oncological practice. In this workshop leading researchers in industry and academia will provide an in-depth overview on the scientific and engineering basis of energy- based cancer therapies. The workshop will open with a basic overview of cancer biology, followed by presentations covering: low-intensity tumor treating electric fields; electroporation; thermal therapies and image-guided drug delivery; and therapeutic ultrasound. For each modality, speakers will: (1) cover the fundamental biophysical principles and cell/tissue-energy interactions; (2) illustrate how these biophysical effects are harnessed with practical devices and technologies; and (3) provide an overview of current research directions exploiting our improved understanding of tumor biology to deliver optimal therapies. Two speakers will also discuss lessons learned while translating cancer therapy technologies from concept through to product/clinical trial from an academic and industrial perspective. Attendees of the workshop will gain: (1) an overview of the fundamentals of cancer biology; (2) an in-depth understanding of the biophysical principles underlying energy-based cancer interventions; (3) an appreciation of practical technologies for treating cancer based on these principles; (4) exposure to current research trends investigating synergism of energy-based treatment modalities with other techniques (e.g. drug delivery) and (5) an understanding of the process and challenges of translating cancer treatment technologies from concept through to clinical trial.
List of Speakers
Jonathan Coleman, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Fundamentals of cancer biology for engineers
Dr. Coleman is a urologic surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His expertise is in minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of kidney, adrenal, and prostate cancers. His research interests include the coupling image-guided therapeutic technologies with basic science investigations of human cancers to develop optimal therapeutic strategies.
Ze’ev Bomzon, Novocure Ltd.
Tumor treating Fields (TTFields): How low intensity alternating electric fields can be used to treat cancer
Dr. Bomzon is the Director of Science at Novocure. He heads the physics department at the company. His group is focused on understanding the biophysical interactions of TTFields with tissues and cells, and harnessing this understanding to enhance treatments with TTFields.
Govindrajan Srimathveeravalli, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Non-thermal ablation and drug delivery with electroporation
Dr. Srimathveeravalli is an Assistant Member in the Interventional Radiology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College. He performs basic and preclinical research to develop solutions that will provide physicians access and the ability to deliver therapy to tumors and pre-cancerous conditions in the genitourinary, gastrointestinal and pulmonary tracts.
Dieter Haemmerich, Medical University of South Carolina
Targeted drug delivery via image-guided thermal therapy and temperature sensitive liposomes
Dr. Haemmerich is Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina and Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at Clemson University. His research intersts include image-guided therapies, image-guided drug delivery, and computational modeling of biomedical heat transfer and drug delivery problems. transfer and drug delivery problems. He is co-founder of the start-up company Medical Engineering Innovations Inc., which commercializes surgical devices for cancer treatment. He is member of IEEE-EMBS, and past president of the Society for Thermal Medicine.
Jonathan Coleman, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Vascular Targeted Photodynamic Therapy for Prostate Tumors: translation from concept to clinical trial
Dr. Coleman is a urologic surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His expertise is in minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of kidney, adrenal, and prostate cancers. His research interests include the coupling image-guided therapeutic technologies with basic science investigations of human cancers to develop optimal therapeutic strategies.
Yoav Medan, Scientist, Entrepreneur, Mentor, former VP and Chief System Architect at Insightec
Image-guided Focused High Intensity Ultrasound
Yoav Medan, Former Vice President and Chief Systems Architect at InSightec Ltd., was responsible for developing new platforms for the Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound technology for treatment of cancer and benign disease. In addition to technical and managerial experience, Yoav has academic experience as well, teaching at the EE department at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. He mentors young entrepreneurs as part of the Technion Alumni “Technion for Life” program.