Organizers: Emiliano Schena, Paola Saccomandi
This tutorial will focus on cutting-edge research topics in thermal treatments of cancer. Minimally invasive thermal treatments have gained broad clinical acceptance for application in cancer removal. Among others, laser ablation is showing promising results in the treatment of several types of cancer. Light is a powerful tool for achieving therapeutic effects inside a tissue. When near infrared light interacts and is absorbed by the tissue, the resulting heating of the tissue can be efficiently exploited for localized treatment of cancer. This treatment combines multidisciplinary disciplines such as biomedical engineers, physicists, computer science, and clinicians. The current landscape of laser ablation is changing rapidly with exciting developments bringing together findings from medical community to engineering researchers. The main research directions devoted to solutions aiming at the design of a more selective and safe procedure. The journey through the main cores of the optimal application of laser light for successful therapy will put light on: i) the use of highly absorbing nanoparticles to make laser ablation more selective, ii) the techniques used for continuously monitor tissue temperature to have a clear end point for a complete removal of tumor spearing the surrounding healthy tissue, and iii) the use of hyperthermal treatment planning tools to predict the effects of the thermal treatment via mathematical model, and to perform patient-specific laser ablation. An outlook to the practical application in the clinical world will conclude the tutorial. The attendees will gain key insights and understandings about the main solutions for improving thermal treatments for applications in oncology, from the preliminary research to the clinical perspective.
List of Speakers
P. Saccomandi, Institute of Image-Guided Surgery (IHU), Strasbourg, France
Laser tissue-interaction: from mathematical model to clinical practice
Paola Saccomandi, PhD, received the PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2014, and now is Postdoctoral Researcher at IHU- Strasbourg. Her main research interests include the study and development of light-based approaches for tumor treatment and its real time monitoring. She is the PI of European Research Council grant “LASER OPTIMAL”.
E. Schena, Unit of Measurement, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
Thermometry during laser ablation: main techniques and commercial systems
Emiliano Schena, PhD, is Associate Professor at Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. His current research interests include development of thermometric techniques for medical applications, design and test of optic-based systems for application in biomedical and clinical field, development of wearable systems for vital signs monitoring.
D. Tosi, School of Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
Fiber optic sensors for monitoring the effects of laser ablation
Daniele Tosi, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nazarbayev University, and Head of Biosensors and Bioinstruments Laboratory at National Laboratory Astana. His research interest include fiber optic sensors and biosensors, biomedical sensors, and sensing networks. He is Associate Editor of IEEE Sensors Journal.
W. Abidi, Beckmann Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
Stem cell/nanoparticle conjugates for improved plasmonic laser ablation of tumors
Wafa, PhD, is postdoctoral researcher at City of Hope. His main research interests are related to nanoparticles synthesis, functionalization of biological molecules with nanomaterials, and nanomedicine, with particular focus on nanomaterials and neural stem cells for targeted therapeutics delivery.