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The Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics (FIP)
Monday, April 20th, 2009~ FCIEMAS Schiciano Auditorium A~ 4:00– 5:00pm
**NEW DATE, TIME & LOCATION**
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Dean Matthew O'Donnell
Dept. of Bioengineering
Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
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"Optoacoustics: Can Ultrasound Become the Preferred Modality for Molecular Imaging?"
Optoacoustics can be used to image the distribution of optical absorption in tissue, combining the specificity and sensitivity of optical imaging with the high resolution and penetration of ultrasound imaging. It represents one of the most promising techniques for molecular imaging because the optical absorption of bioconjugated nanoparticles can greatly exceed that of tissue over a range of wavelengths in which light can penetrate multiple centimeters into the body. We have explored several types of nanoparticles conjugated to a range of antibodies targeted to several important biological systems. Here we discuss two potential applications of bioconjugated gold nanorods, one for cancer cell targeting and the other to identify inflamed endothelial cells signaling the early stages of atherosclerosis. Optoacoustic images of cell cultures and animal models demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of these nanosystems for molecular imaging.
To translate these experimental findings into a clinically acceptable molecular imaging modality, we have also explored integrated optical systems able to deliver the optical pulse for optoacoustic excitation and detect the resultant ultrasonic waves using an all-optical transducer. The basic operating principles of this device, and the prospects for ultrasound-based molecular imaging using it, will be discussed.
Dr. Matthew O'Donnell
received his BS and Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Notre Dame, IN, 1972 and 1976. Following his graduate work, Dr. O'Donnell moved to Washington University in St. Louis, MO as a postdoctoral fellow in the Physics Department working on applications of ultrasonics to medicine and non-destructive testing. He subsequently held a joint appointment as a Senior Research Associate in the Physics Department and a Research Instructor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Washington University. In 1980 he moved to General Electric Corporate Research and Development Center in Schenectady, NY, where he continued to work on medical electronics, including MRI and ultrasound imaging systems. During the 1984-1985 academic year, he was a visiting fellow in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Yale University in New Haven, CT investigating automated image analysis systems. In 1990, Dr. O'Donnell became a Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Starting in 1997, he held a joint appointment as Professor of 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. During 2006, he moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, WA where he is now the Frank and Julie Jungers Dean of Engineering and also a Professor of Bioengineering. His most recent research has explored new imaging modalities in biomedicine, including elasticity imaging, in vivo microscopy, optoacoustic arrays, optoacoustic contrast agents for molecular imaging and therapy, thermal strain imaging, and catheter based devices. .
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