Biomedical Science & Medical Specialties

Biomedical science and medical specialties that rely heavily on biophotonics and optics include cell biology, cancer research and oncology, cardiology, neuroscience, dermatology, dentistry, genomics and proteomics, and molecular biology. Applications run the gamut from imaging of all kinds to disease diagnosis, noninvasive monitoring, and light-based therapy.

Biomedical Science & Medical Specialties Articles

Bioengineering graduate student Carolyn Schutt won the Rudee Outstanding Poster Award for her research into a new imaging technique for breast cancer research

'Microbubbles' promising for early cancer screening garner research award

05/14/2012

Coupling the chemical sensitivity of optical imaging and tissue-penetrating properties of ultrasound imaging, Carolyn Schutt, a Ph.D. student in bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, is developing an imaging technique that could lead to highly sensitive light imaging deeper inside the body.

Photoacoustics screen for breast cancer without X-rays

Photoacoustics screen for breast cancer without X-rays

05/08/2012

Twente, The Netherlands--Researchers from Netherlands' University of Twente and Medisch Spectrum Twente Hospital in Oldenzaal are now using photoacoustics rather than ionizing radiation to detect and visualize breast tumors.

Ed S. Boyden

MIT's Ed Boyden awarded research prize for optogenetics work

05/04/2012

The first A. F. Harvey engineering research prize from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), which is a prize of £300,000, was awarded to Professor Ed S. Boyden of the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT), whose work in optogenetics has made international impact.

Abbott femtosecond laser garners FDA clearance for cataract surgery

05/02/2012

Abbott Medical Optics' (AMO) iFS advanced femtosecond laser has received FDA clearance to create bow-shaped or curved arcuate incisions in corneal surgery, including cataract surgery.

Postdoctoral researcher Steven Adie, professor P. Scott Carney, graduate students Adeel Ahmad and Benedikt Graf, and professor Stephen Boppart, all of the University of Illinois, developed a method to computationally correct aberrations in 3D tissue microscopy

Adaptive optics, computer software pair to correct aberrations in optical imaging

04/30/2012

University of Illinois researchers have developed a technique to computationally correct for aberrations, enabling higher-quality images and 3D datasets in real-time imaging applications such as image-guided surgery.

An artistic representation of the cutting method used to measure the microtubules' lengths

Femtosecond laser ablation sheds new insight on cell division

04/27/2012

Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), using a femtosecond laser, sliced through and made quantitative measurements of the mitotic spindle (an apparatus that forms during cell division), discovering how its microtubules (protein strands) are organized in the spindles of animal cells.

CLEO show to move to June in 2013

04/26/2012

Washington, DC--Next year's Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), held annually in San Jose, CA, will take place in June rather than its usual May, moving to June 9–14, 2013.

X-ray 'bionanoprobe' boosts study of cellular processes

04/25/2012

A team of researchers have developed a non-destructive x-ray microscopy solution to image cryogenically preserved cells and advance studies of intra-cellular biology.

The 9.6 mm probe housing (right) next to the housing of the earlier prototype 18 mm probe (left) showing the reduction in packaged probe size

Femtosecond probe with 'lightsaber'-like precision promising for laser surgery

04/24/2012

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have developed a small, flexible endoscopic medical device fitted with a femtosecond laser "scalpel" that can remove—with 'lightsaber'-like precision—diseased or damaged tissue without touching healthy cells.

Abbott, St. Jude Medical grow cardiovascular products alliance

04/23/2012

Building upon an agreement that began in 2008, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) and St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) have formed Choice Alliance, a multi-year joint initiative that provides mutual US customers access to a portfolio of interventional cardiology, cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, and intravascular imaging and diagnostic technologies.

Laser technologies could improve cochlear implant design

04/23/2012

Research groups at Laser Zentrum Hannover EV (LZH) are developing laser-based technologies for improved insertion techniques and exact fitting of cochlear implants (CIs) in the inner ear, as well as better quality for residual hearing.

George J. Hruza, MD, MBA, ASLMS president

St. Louis University's Hruza named as new ASLMS president

04/23/2012

George J. Hruza, MD, MBA, clinical professor of dermatology and otolaryngology at St. Louis University and director of the Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center, has been named the new president of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS).

Laser treatment of burn scars helps military and civilian patients

04/20/2012

Kissimmee, FL--Physicians, scientists and engineers at the 32nd Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) this week are reviewing innovative new laser treatments that can reduce disfigurement and improve functionality of scarred tissue that results from severe burns.

Professor Tuan Vo-Dinh discusses results from his NanoSight NS500 with Dr. Hsiangkuo Yuan from his research group

Nanoparticle tracking helps characterize 'nanoconstructs' for biomedical applications

04/19/2012

Scientists at Duke University's Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics, led by Professor Tuan Vo-Dinh, applied nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) to characterize metal nanoparticle construct materials for use in biosensing, imaging, and cancer therapy.

OCT system earns CE mark for corneal incisions

04/18/2012

The Catalys Precision Laser System from OptiMedica, a laser cataract surgery system that combines a femtosecond laser, integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, and the company's pattern scanning technology, has been CE mark-approved for creating single-plane and multi-plane arc cuts/incisions in the cornea.

Flow cytometry platform from LeukoDx secures investment commitments of up to $8M

04/18/2012

Flow cytometry platform developer LeukoDx has entered into agreements for investments totaling up to $8 million over the next three years, which should enable the company to take developing its Point of Care flow cytometry platform to the registration stage.

The difference between an infected red blood cell (top) and a healthy cell (bottom) is revealed by secondary speckle sensing microscopy (S3M)

Microscopy technique could detect malaria in a half-hour's time

04/18/2012

Researchers at the Materials Technology Institute of the National Research Council have developed a microscopy system that could diagnose malaria much faster and with greater accuracy.

Medical laser systems contract for cancer therapy received by Modulight

04/18/2012

Tampere, Finland and San Jose, CA--Laser diode manufacturer Modulight designed, integrated, and CE certified a medical laser system for PCI Biotech for a novel cancer therapy process.

Novian Health begins laser therapy clinical trial for breast cancer

04/17/2012

Chicago, IL--Laser therapy developer Novian Health has begun a multicenter clinical trial on its Novilase interstitial laser therapy (ILT) for ablating (destroying) malignant breast tumors.

The system prototype, which features an EMCCD camera by QImaging

Prototype portable neuroimaging system to study stroke recovery, epilepsy

04/13/2012

Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada have developed a portable neuroimaging prototype for studying the effects of stroke recovery and epilepsy.