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JNL: Multiphoton Laser Scanning Microscopy—A Novel Diagnostic Method for Superficial Skin Cancers

2009-11-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B75K6-4X9NKFX-9&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=9&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info%28%23toc%2313170%232009%23999719996%231516166%23FLA%23display%23Volume%29&_cdi=13170&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=11&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3b8a6e1bdee11276e75cbb3bc769f71d

Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery
Volume 28, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 190-195
DERMOSCOPY AND RECENTLY DEVELOPED IMAGING TECHNIQUES

Multiphoton Laser Scanning Microscopy—A Novel Diagnostic Method for Superficial Skin Cancers

John Paoli MD, PhD^,, Maria Smedh MSc, PhD^† and Marica B. Ericson MSc, PhD^†
^†Department of Physics, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Dermatology and Venereology Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Available online 25 September 2009.

The increasing incidence of skin cancer and the importance of early diagnosis is a challenge, which requires the development of reliable, cost-effective, noninvasive, diagnostic techniques. Several such methods based on optical imaging techniques are available and currently being investigated. A novel method in this field is multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM). This technique is based on the nonlinear process of 2-photon excitation of endogenous fluorophores, which can be used to acquire horizontal optical sectioning of intact biological tissue samples. When studying human skin, MPLSM provides high-resolution fluorescence imaging, allowing visualization of cellular and subcellular structures of the epidermis and upper dermis. This review covers the application of MPLSM as a diagnostic tool for superficial skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinoma in situ, and melanomas. MPLSM has also been applied in other research areas related to skin, which will be mentioned briefly. The morphologic features observed in MPLSM images of skin tumors are comparable to traditional histopathology. Safety issues, limitations, and further improvements are discussed. Although further investigations are required to make MPLSM a mainstream clinical diagnostic tool, MPLSM has the potential of becoming a noninvasive, bedside, histopathologic technique for the diagnosis of superficial skin cancers.

NEWS: Basic science: Nanomaterials can damage DNA without crossing barriers

2009-11-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

http://ahcpub.com/hot_topics/?htid=1&httid=2008

Basic science: Nanomaterials can damage DNA without crossing barriers


From Medical Device Daily \| November 2009

By LYNN YOFFEE Medical Device Daily Staff Writer UK researchers have uncovered a cell signaling phenomenon that they admittedly don't understand, but have extrapolated that it could have implications for the use of nanomaterials as well as some of the metals currently used in artificial joints. In short, they've discovered that nanoparticles can damage the DNA of cells without crossing cellular barriers in the body. "To our great surprise, not only could we see damage on the other side of the barrier, but we saw as much damage as if we had no barrier at all and put materials in direct contact with the cells underneath," said Patrick Case, MD, consultant senior lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery and Pathology, Bristol Implant Research Centre, Southmead Hospital (Bristol, UK). "We don't understand it at all. Some sort of signal is going on from the top cell to middle and bottom cells. At the bottom, that cell is then responding and sending out some message and causing this DNA damage without significant cell death to the cells beneath." Case and his colleagues set up an experiment to address the growing concerns about nanoparticles' ability to infiltrate past barriers. But they discovered that those particles don't actually have to go through a barrier to inflict damage. They used ultra-high concentrations of metals on cells grown in culture, those typically used in orthopedic implants. But in addition to raising concerns over nanomaterials' abilities to cross barriers – or in this case affect cells without crossing – their discovery opens a Pandora's box of opportunities to deliver novel therapies across barriers without having to cross them. Medication could exert influence without having to cross something like the blood brain barrier. "We were not trying to make a model of the human body. And we're not trying to say this is going to happen in a human body," Case said during a press conference in London on Thursday. "We've just asked a question: Is the barrier a barrier? Our basic message is that there is something strange going on. There is this signaling process that's jolly exciting across a barrier." Case's team grew a multi-layer of human cells in the lab to mimic a specialized protective barrier which was used to study the indirect effects of cobalt-chromium nanoparticles – which are typically generated from wear and tear of bone implants – on the cells that were lying behind this barrier. "Here, we show that cobalt-chromium nanoparticles (29.5±6.3 nm in diameter) can damage human fibroblast cells across an intact cellular barrier without having to cross the barrier," Case and team wrote in a Nature Nanotechnology article. Another co-author of the study, Gevdeep Bhabra, MD, also of the University of Bristol, explained how the experiment worked. "We measured DNA damage after exposure to the alloy particles," Bhabra said. "We looked at levels of damage after indirect exposure and direct exposure and found the levels of damage are comparable. One of the obvious questions: Is the metal passing through the barrier? We measured levels of metal and found there was no increase. So we don't think metal was passing through the cells. We also found the barrier didn't become more leaky. We know that cells in close contact, like in the barrier, exhibit cell communication. We used a variety of compounds to block it. We found that DNA damage does occur through indirect exposure to cobalt-chromium and this is dependent on intercellular signaling rather than the passage of metal through the barrier." To lend some perspective to the findings, Case pointed out that "we all have DNA damage, but it's not necessarily significant." The team concluded by suggesting that, going forward, as scientists evaluate nanoparticle safety, they should not be focused entirely on whether or not nanoparticles penetrate, but rather the "genotoxic potential for both direct and indirect effects to avoid any potential risks to targets on the distal side of cellular barriers," they wrote.

Post-Doc Position at NIH; Diffuse Optical Tomography + Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine

2009-11-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

Attached is the link for the position. We are looking for a solid instrumental post-doc for building a Diffuse Optical Tomography system, who has a strong interest in becoming involved further in the theoretical side of

DOT as well. I have copied the text from my original email for full details, and below it include the link to the job website for applicants. If you could advertise this on your blog and pass it to anyone you think might be interested I would be extremely grateful,

I am writing to you regarding a post-doctoral position we have available at the NIH. I work in Dr Gandjbakhches Laboratory here at the NIH and we are establishing a Brain Imaging Project. We currently have available funds for a post-doctoral fellow in this project. Amir suggested that you might be able to help in regards of suggesting someone suitable, or may have contacts with asuitable candidate.

The position will largely focus on being an experimentalist (instrumental design and fabrication), but the ideal candidate will also be able to participate in the numerical aspects of the project. Our objective is to assemble a team who are all equally comfortable with instrumental design and with handling numerics. The position is available ‘immediately’ subject to the release of funds based on an agreement between the funding body and NIH. The project is based on Diffuse Optical Imaging and currently we are planning to use a CW system, but are entirely open to change as the project evolves. The ideal candidate then would have an enthusiastic desire to progress the project with their own input as to how to handle some of the problems faced with functional NIR brain imaging.

We would be very grateful for any suggestions you could make on suitable candidates. Please feel free to pass on the information to any colleagues who might have a suitable finished(ing) PhD who would be interested in the position.

LINK to NIH position: http://www.hjf.org/careers/search.html

The search criteria is:

Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow

Job ID: 204831

Job Description Job Title: CNRM Postdoctoral Fellow Job ID: 204976 Location: Full/Part Time: Full-Time Regular/Temporary: Regular

Return to Previous Page


	Responsibilities
	The Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF) is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to support the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. HJF provides administrative and management support to CNRM. The Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM) is a collaborative intramural federal program involving the US Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health and was developed to bring together the expertise of clinicians and scientists across disciplines to catalyze innovative approaches to Traumatic Brain Injury research. Responsibilities: 1. Assists in designing, developing, executing, and implementing scientific research and/or development. 2. Investigates the feasibility of applying a wide variety of scientific principles and theories to potential inventions and products. 3. Performs specialized laboratory research utilizing experimental protocols which will involve specialized procedures such as DNA cloning and sequencing, molecular analysis of specific RNA transcripts by quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, animal surgeries, dissections, sectioning and immunohistochemistry. 4. Collects and handles samples and keeps detailed records of experiments. 5. Assists with the preparation of data for presentations at scientific meetings and for publication in journals. 6. Assists with training laboratory staff as needed. 7. Maintains cleanliness of laboratory areas. 8. Performs other duties as assigned. Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of appropriate scientific area; ability to analyze and interpret data Minimum Education/Training Requirements: PhD in a related scientific discipline Physical Capabilities: Long periods of standing and sitting; intricate work with hands; carrying of light and moderately heavy laboratory equipment Supervisory Responsibilities/Controls: May provide guidance to laboratory staff Work Environment: Laboratory environment; may involve working with biohazardous materials; may require working evenings and weekends Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents, in lieu of stated minimums, require the prior approval of the Director of Human Resources

NEWS: LenSar: New Laser Cure for Cataracts

2009-11-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS118070+05-Nov-2009+PRN20091105

Thu Nov 5, 2009 6:01am EST

Is there a real laser that will soon be used to treat cataracts?

NEW YORK, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new laser therapy that can

potentially remove cataracts from people's eyes more efficiently and with

greater precision was presented on October 24, 2009 at the American Academy of

Ophthalmology (AAO) annual meeting. The technology, currently undergoing

clinical trials outside the USA, was developed by LenSar, a start-up company

which is in a head-to-head competition with two other players to be the first

to commercialize the technology. LenSar plans to start treating patients if

the FDA will consider the results of the remaining trials to be both safe and

effective.

Although the new device will cost more than existing technologies, the speed

of surgery may compensate for that by allowing more procedures to be performed

in less time. The new LenSar laser cataract device is designed to be safer and

easier to use, and it is believed that most cataract surgeons can learn to use

it to perform surgeries with less complications. The laser will allow for the

use of "premium" implants which set up bifocal vision as well as provide a

better way to treat astigmatism.

Cataracts are presently treated with a devise known as a Phacoemulsifier,

which uses ultrasound waves to break up the contents of the cataract and was

nicknamed in the mid-seventies a "laser". This 35 years old device is

generally very safe, however results are largely dependent on the individual

surgeon's skills. LenSar suggests that their laser will make cataract surgery

easier to perform, perhaps transforming average eye surgeons into surgeons

equipped with safer and better technology, benefitting the three million

patients who undergo cataract surgery annually in the U.S.

LenSar's CEO, Randy Frey, Ph.D., a well-acclaimed scientist known best for the

Lasik laser he developed, formed LenSar in 2004 which has had about 100

operations performed outside of the U.S. with promising results. Although his

cataract laser concept has spurred competing companies, Frey claims that he

holds important patent applications which allow the company to focus on R&D

and pay less attention to competitors. It is his belief that LenSar's patents

will prevail and will have a legal claim on any such devices, regardless of

their maker.

The real financial benefit for LenSar is not in the sale of the laser but in

the "royalty-like" fee that is paid to the company each time the laser is

used. Laser eye surgery devices by companies such as Alcon, Bausch and Lomb,

and AMO have generated billions in revenue using this "click fee" strategy.

SOURCE  LenSar

Joseph Dello Russo, +1-201-538-3842, joedellorussomd@aol.com

NEWS: Avo Photonics and Case Western Reserve University Are Pleased to Announce the Completion of a Design and Development Contract for an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Forward Imaging Catheter

2009-11-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

HORSHAM, Pa., Nov 05, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nearly 4 million people nationwide suffer from cardiac arrhythmias each year, according to the 2006 U.S. Cardiac Rhythm Management Market report by Frost and Sullivan. About 2.5 million of these cases cannot be treated or controlled through medication alone. Since pharmacological therapies have limited effectiveness, radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has emerged as the prominent approach for treating a broad range of arrhythmias. However, during the procedure physicians have no direct visualization of intra-cardiac structures, nor do they have a means to measure successful lesions.

Recognizing this problem, researchers at Case Western Reserve University began a research program in 2008 to build an imaging catheter that would allow surgeons to monitor treatment and visualize intra-cardiac structures. The researchers selected Avo Photonics, Inc., of Horsham, PA, for a Phase 1 design contract. The contract was awarded in September 2008. Avo's rapid design effort provided a pathway for a subsequent October 2008 award for the development of prototype opto-mechanical systems. At the contract conclusion, Avo delivered eight forward imaging catheters to the university.

The forward imaging catheters (FIC) built by Avo will be used as monitors during RF cardiac arrhythmia therapy. These OCT catheters will lead to imaging techniques that will improve the insertion and accuracy of RF catheters, thus leading to better patient results and an expansion of approved FDA procedures for cardiac arrhythmia therapy.

Case Western Reserve University's lead investigator on the project is Dr. Andrew Rollins, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Christine Fleming, a graduate research assistant under the advisement of Rollins, was instrumental in the design and development.

As a specialized opto-electronic engineering and manufacturing company, Avo provided critical resources and experience to the program. The Avo team was led by Program Manager Todd Rixman and Senior Optical Engineer Dr. David Demmer. "Our extensive experience in fiber optic and medical products blended to create reliable and elegant optical assemblies. We are pleased to be able to offer these service to Case Western Reserve", stated Rixman.

In May of 2009, Case Western Reserve imaged heart tissue through the Avo produced catheters, thus confirming Avo's design and manufacturing expertise. Both Dr. Rollins and Ms. Fleming expressed their gratitude to Avo Photonics. "Avo provided excellent resources as the development process proceeded" commented Dr. Rollins. "Avo's attention to detail and resourcefulness allowed us to move quite rapidly from concept to design to prototyping. We are looking forward to continuing with the development efforts and providing the medical community with this and other enhanced tools" continued Dr. Rollins.

This work was funded by under the Coulter-Case Translational Research Partnership.

About Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case Western Reserve is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case Western Reserve offers nationally recognized programs in the arts and sciences, dental medicine, engineering, law, management, medicine, nursing and social sciences.

About Avo Photonics

Avo Photonics provides custom design and contract manufacturing services to customers in the military, aerospace, medical, communications, and commercial markets. Its unique pure service model assures Avo is focused on its customer's products. From fundamental optical physics analysis, through mechanical, electrical, thermal, and materials design for packaging/manufacturing, into crafted prototypes and high volume production, Avo Photonics is a one-stop shop for photonic packaging services.

For a complete overview of Avo Photonics' service offerings, visit www.avophotonics.comor call 215-441-0107.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6088914&lang=en

SOURCE: Avo Photonics

Avo Photonics, Inc.

Neal Stoker, 215-441-0107 x109

marketing@avophotonics.com

NEWS: Lumenis® Announces the Initiation of a Clinical Study into the Efficacy of Selective Retina Therapy (SRT) in Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

2009-11-05T16:59:00.001-08:00

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/11/prweb3166174.htm

Lumenis® Ltd. a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of laser, light-based and radiofrequency devices for ophthalmic, surgical and aesthetic applications, announced today the initiation of a clinical study into the efficacy of Selective Retina Therapy (SRT) in Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The study will take place at the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel, under the leadership of Prof. Anat Loewenstein MD.

Valley Lee, MD (PRWEB) November 5, 2009 -- Lumenis® Ltd. a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of laser, light-based and radiofrequency devices for ophthalmic, surgical and aesthetic applications, announced today the initiation of a clinical study into the efficacy of Selective Retina Therapy (SRT) in Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The study will take place at the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel, under the leadership of Prof. Anat Loewenstein MD.
Dov Ofer, Lumenis’ President and Chief Executive Officer stated: “We are proud to be yet again at the forefront of ophthalmic laser innovation with the clinical evaluation of Selective Retina Therapy (SRT). That is, after all, only one of the privileges reserved for the company that pioneered the very first Argon Laser photocoagulator in ophthalmology, along with a history of innovations that literally have transformed the way ophthalmologists practice medicine worldwide.” Mr. Ofer continued and added that “we are also very proud to be collaborating with Prof. Loewenstein who is internationally recognized and respected for her efforts as a leading retina specialist with a long-list of medical accomplishments.”
In a statement on SRT, Prof. Anat Loewenstein commented: “Ophthalmic lasers have been playing a key role in the treatment & management of various retinal pathologies for many years now – however, not without negative side-effects. In the case of standard lasers, treatments usually result in deleterious thermal damage to neurosensory retinal tissue that is integral to healthy vision. As a retina surgeon, I think Lumenis SRT technology represents significant potential over conventional lasers, as it selectively targets the RPE layer without damaging the highly-sensitive neurosensory retina layer; thereby avoiding scotomata (blind spots) in the treated areas. However, what excites me the most is the potential benefits this primarily represents to our patients; a pain-free treatment that does not further impair vision and that may potentially improve conditions that rob the eyesight of tens of millions of people worldwide. Based on the data we have seen, Lumenis SRT technology appears to have the potential to become that treatment and this is what we are going to investigate”, concluded Prof. Loewenstein.
“The Lumenis SRT technology holds significant potential into the treatment of various retinal pathologies. Our most current knowledge shows that the retinal pigment epithelium plays a key role in several ocular conditions that negatively impact the vision of millions of patients worldwide. Being able to selectively target that layer of cells, without causing any thermal damage to adjacent tissues, induces a certain biological response that may one day give hope to these patients,“ stated Dr. Pazit Pianka MD, an ophthalmologist and the Lumenis Vision Medical Director.
“With this new investigation into the clinical efficacy of Lumenis SRT technology, Lumenis once again reaffirms its decades-long commitment to excellence and innovation in ophthalmic laser technology,” said Mr. Lloyd Diamond, Senior VP & General Manager of Lumenis Vision, the Ophthalmic Business Unit of Lumenis Ltd. “Approximately 10 years ago our company launched Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) based on the novel concept of selective photo-thermolysis. During that time we have witnessed our technology transform into a leading, clinically-proven, first-line therapy for POAG and a viable alternative to eye drops. We believe SRT has the potential to revolutionize retina therapy, similar to the way SLT revolutionized glaucoma management. This new study will help us ascertain that fact” concluded Mr. Diamond.
About the Clinical Trial:
The clinical trial will be conducted under the direction of Prof. Anat Loewenstein MD, who is an associate Professor of Ophthalmology & the Vice-Dean of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at the Tel Aviv University, and the Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel. The prospective study, which includes 102 patients (102 eyes), was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Lumenis Selective Retina Therapy (SRT) treatment in diabetic macular edema. The duration of the study is two years with patient follow up at 4, 8, and 12 months post-op.
All patients will receive treatments with the Lumenis SRT laser that was developed by Lumenis Ltd., in collaboration with its research partner MLL (Medizinisches Laserzentrum Lübeck) in Lübeck, Germany. Lumenis holds propriety rights for this technology.
About Selective Retina Therapy (SRT):
Selective Retina Therapy (SRT) is a relatively new laser technique which selectively targets the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) while sparing the neural retina. Several macular diseases are thought to be caused and/or significantly exacerbated due to reduced function of the RPE cells. In light of that, a method for the selective destruction of the underperforming RPE cells without causing adverse effects to the choroid and neurosensory retina (especially to the photoreceptors layers) is hypothesized to halt the progression of those diseases and/or reverse some of its deleterious effects.
The selective effect on RPE cells, which absorb about 50% of the incident light due to their high melanosome content, has been previously demonstrated using the Lumenis SRT laser. By irradiating the fundus with a train of 1.7 micro-second laser pulses it is possible to achieve high peak temperatures around the melanosomes, which leads to a destruction of the RPE, with only a low sub-lethal temperature increase in adjacent tissue structures. This process leads to the multiplication and migration of healthy RPE cells from the periphery which, in turn, help metabolize and improve the overall retina tissue health.
The Lumenis SRT laser was specifically designed to perform selective RPE targeting. This is accomplished by a green (frequency doubled Nd:YLF, 527nm) laser that emits 1.7 microsecond (¼s) pulses at a repetition rate of 100 Hertz (Hz). This low average power, delivered in a train of pulses, confines the laser treatment to the cells containing the target pigment or chromophores, in this case the melanin granules in the RPE cells, thereby achieving selective damage to these particular cells.
About Lumenis:
Lumenis, the world’s largest medical laser company, is a global developer, manufacturer and distributor of laser, light-based and radiofrequency devices for surgical, aesthetic and ophthalmic applications, with more than 800 employees worldwide. Lumenis has over 250 patents, over 75 FDA clearances, an installed base of over 80,000 systems and presence in over 100 countries. Lumenis endeavors to bring the finest state of the art technology products to the market, fulfilling the highest standards of excellence, quality and reliability. Consequently we are able to deliver premium value and service to our customers. Lumenis’ name is derived from Latin meaning “Light of Life”, highlighting the light which is the basis of our technologies used to enhance life. For more information about Lumenis and its products, please go to: www.lumenis.com.
For further information contact:
Michelle Maydan
Director of Corporate Communications
1-866-569-0597
+972-4-959-9004
e-mail: mmaydan (at) lumenis.com
Lumenis, its logo, VersaPulse , SlimLine and Slimline GI are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Lumenis Group of Companies.
Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, statements that contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “believe,” “should,” “intend,” “project” or other similar words, but are not the only way these statements are identified. We have based these forward-looking statements on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements may be found in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, including the section therein entitled “Risk Factors”, as well in our reports on Form 6-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission

NEWS: University of Chicago Physicians Find Mini Microscope Can Improve Disease Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment

2009-11-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

http://chicagopressrelease.com/press-releases/university-of-chicago-physicians-find-mini-microscope-can-improve-disease-detection-diagnosis-and-treatment

Released November 05, 2009

New imaging technology using one of the world’s smallest flexible microscopes enables physicians to look–at the cellular level–at living, moving tissue in the lungs and gastrointestinal tract so they can make a rapid diagnosis or carefully select tissue for biopsy.
With the probe-based, confocal, laser-endomicroscopy system known as Cellvizio®, which is used through a standard endoscope or bronchoscope, University of Chicago physicians can examine tissue in the gastrointestinal tract or look deep into the lungs to examine and assess early stages of disease.
With magnification 500 to 1,000 times that of a standard scope and 10 to 50 times that of a magnifying scope, the Cellvizio system, one of about 40 in the United States, can help doctors distinguish between normal and cancerous tissue without taking samples.
If they do need samples, the probe helps them collect exactly the tissue they need for a biopsy rather than extracting multiple samples from the general vicinity of suspected disease.
“Until now, if we found suspicious tissue during a diagnostic procedure, we had to take out tissue almost randomly and send it to a laboratory for analysis,” said Irving Waxman, MD, professor of medicine and surgery at the University of Chicago, the first center in Illinois to use the system.
“This meant that cancerous tissue could be missed.”
“With this scope,” said Waxman, “we can pinpoint abnormal tissue during the initial diagnostic exam, remove it, and then go back to be certain that we got what we needed.”
The tiny microscope, produced by Mauna Kea Technologies of Paris, France, (known as Cellvizio in the U.S.) is approved by the Food & Drug Administration for use in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. It consists of a laser light system coupled with a miniprobe made of tens of thousands of individual optical fibers capped by microlenses.
The scope is only 2.5 mm in diameter, small enough to pass through accessory channels on most standard GI or pulmonary scopes. Specialists worldwide have used the device for more than 3,000 procedures to date.
The tiny flexible device is inserted through a channel in a standard scope. The tip is placed on the tissue to be examined. It sends back 12 high-resolution video images per second.
By adjusting the focus, the probe can also provide clear, detailed images of tissue slightly beneath the surface.
Recent studies have demonstrated the value of the technology in multiple areas. “We currently use it to identify precancerous areas in Barrett’s esophagus (the major risk factor for esophageal cancer) for improved detection and targeting of minimally invasive endoscopic therapy,” said Vani Konda, MD, instructor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
“The technology can also be applied in the colon, bile duct and pancreas to try to differentiate cancer from inflammatory (benign) disorders.”
The microscope does a good job of catching early cancers and diagnosing them immediately, without having to wait for a pathology report, according to Mauna Kea Chief Executive Sacha Loiseau. “It’s especially useful in getting into tiny bile ducts,” he adds.
“Detailed microscopic images of the esophagus or the bile ducts can help us reduce the risk of biopsy-related complications,” said Waxman. “By identifying in vivo the area of interest we can move right then to follow with a therapeutic application.”
“The tiny miniprobe can also be inserted through the bronchoscope and extended well into the lungs, even to the smaller branches of the bronchial tree,” said pulmonologist Kyle Hogarth, MD, FCCP, assistant professor of medicine and director of bronchoscopy at the University of Chicago.
“Better visualization could help us perform fewer, more-targeted biopsies,” he said. “It lets us examine and sample tissues that were previously inaccessible without surgery.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
John Easton, 773-702-6241
john.easton@uchospitals.edu

NEWS: Trust Formed In UK to Promote Laser Treatment For Solid Tumors

2009-11-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.medindia.net/news/Trust-Formed-In-UK-to-Promote-Laser-Treatment-For-Solid-Tumors-60437-1.htm

Trust Formed In UK to Promote Laser Treatment For Solid Tumors

British experts are seeking to raise awareness of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). It is a type of laser treatment to remove unwanted tissues, including solid tumours. The procedure involves putting a non-toxic dye on the affected area, before shining a high intensity light on the tissue to destroy it.

Campaigners want PDT to be accepted as mainstream alternative to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Professor Keyvan Moghissi, Clinical Director of the Yorkshire Laser Centre has teamed up with other specialists to launch a charitable trust for the purpose.

Professor Keyvan Moghissi, a laser pioneer said: "PDT offers a real 'ray of hope' for a large number of cancer patients and should have equal status as a treatment alongside chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

"Leaders in this field from across the UK decided they needed to form a specialist group to raise the profile of PDT within the NHS consistently across the UK and to collaborate to attract funding for future research on a coordinated national basis which will support advances in such areas as personalised drugs (dyes) and techniques that could revolutionise cancer treatment." And hence the UK PDT Charitable Trust, he said.

The laser treatment is another option for patients, helping them avoid invasive surgery, as also the side effects associated with strong radiation and chemical therapies.

Research is currently under way to develop better dyes and by specific targeting of diseased tissue to achieve the ultimate goal of personalised cancer treatment.

This involves loading antibodies generated from samples of a patient's unique tumour with PDT dyes to treat the patient.

Not all tumours can be treated by the laser treatment as each type of cancer needs specific drugs with specific dyes and not all have been developed yet.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has issued guidance on a number of cancers for which PDT can be used.

In the case of non-melanoma skin tumours, Nice said there were 'no major safety concerns' about the treatment.

Guidance on advanced oesophageal cancer meanwhile states: 'Current evidence on the safety and efficacy of palliative photodynamic therapy for advanced oesophageal cancer is of poor quality but appears adequate to support the use of this procedure to relieve symptoms in patients with a poor prognosis.'

Possible complications identified included skin photosensitivity, Nice said.

But people with brain tumours are not recommended to have the procedure unless in the context of trials because of 'limited' evidence on its safety and efficacy, according to Nice guidance.

Source-Medindia
GPL

NEWS: Next Generation Blood Glucose Meters

2009-11-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2009/11/05/6435/next-generation-blood-glucose-meters/

Russell Phillips, PhD

Nov 5, 2009

Fingertip blood-oxygen monitors, called pulse oximeters, measure oxygen in the blood using light and color. The noninvasive device, which clips onto a fingertip or earlobe, typically has a pair of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) facing a sensor. Light of a certain wavelength (a certain color) travels through a translucent part of the body like the fingertip or an earlobe, and is picked up by the sensor. The amount of oxygen in the blood (actually, oxygenated hemoglobin) affects how much light from each diode finally makes it through the finger and reaches the sensor. The result is an effective measurement of the amount of oxygen in the blood.
A similar, no-finger-sticking-procedure using light and color for measuring the amount of glucose in the blood would be great, but the wavelengths of light that indicate glucose can't be detected through the skin. One idea scientists have proposed is using a glucose-sensitive material and implanting it just under the skin.
The glucose-sensitive material would change color depending on the amount of glucose in the blood and reflect the changes in color to a reader worn by the user. Sound like science fiction? Well, it may be a reality in the not too distant future. The materials needed have already been developed, and the sensor's color-changing abilities have been demonstrated in the lab.
Professor Arthur Epstein and doctoral student Louis Nemzer at Ohio State University have been working on attaching an enzyme that changes color in response to glucose concentration to a biocompatible (easily accepted by the body) polymer previously developed in Epstein's lab. Nemzer is studying the optical properties of polyaniline nanofibers, which may be used to make optical biosensors, like a continuous glucose monitoring system.
Licensing the technology is the next step, followed by more research in the lab and then on to humans!
* * *
Sources:
http://www.medcitynews.com/index.php/2009/10/ohio-state-university-researchers-work-on-stick-free-blood-glucose-monitor/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyaniline_nanofibers

NEWS: An exquisite container: A gold nanocage covered with a polymer is a smart drug delivery system

2009-11-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/wuis-aec_1102909.php

Public release date: 1-Nov-2009
[ Print | E-mail | Share ] [ Close Window ]

Contact: Diana Lutz
dlutz@wustl.edu
314-935-5272
Washington University in St. Louis

An exquisite container

A gold nanocage covered with a polymer is a smart drug delivery system



		Lycurgus, King of the Edoni in Thrace, is ensnared by the nymph Ambrosia in the form of a vine. The famous Roman cup looks green when lit from outside but... Click here for more information.

In campy old movies, Lucretia Borgia swans around emptying powder from her ring into wine glasses carelessly left unattended. The poison ring is usually a confection of gold filigree holding a cabochon or faceted gemstone that can be broken to empty the ring's contents. It is invariably enormous — so large it is rather odd nobody seems to notice it.
Lucretia would have given her eyeteeth for the "smart capsule" devised in Younan Xia's laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis. A tiny cage of gold covered with a smart polymer, it responds to light, opening to empty its contents, and resealing when the light is turned off. Infinitely more cunning and discreet than Lucretia's ring, the nanocage is too small to be seen — except indirectly: billions change the color of liquid in a test tube.
No Lucretia, Xia is a healer rather than a poisoner. The smart nanocage is designed to be filled with a medicinal substance, such as a chemotherapy drug or bactericide. Releasing carefully titrated amounts of a drug only near the tissue that is the drug's intended target, this delivery system will maximize the drug's beneficial effects while minimizing its side effects.
The method for making the capsules and tests of their performance appeared online on Nov. 1, 2009, as part of the advance online publications program of the journal Nature Materials.
The first step in making a smart capsule is to mix up a batch of silver nanocubes. Tiny single-crystal cubes of silver can be made by adding silver nitrate (AgNO₃) to a solution that donates electrons to the silver ions, allowing them to precipitate as solid silver. The addition of another chemical encourages the silver atoms to deposit on some parts of a seed crystal rather than others, coaxing the seeds to form sharp-edged cubes rather than misshapen lumps.
A second step clips all eight corners off the cubes.
The clipped silver cubes then serve as "sacrificial templates," on which the gold cages take shape. When the silver nanocubes are heated in cloroauric acid (HAuCl₄), the gold ions in the acid steal electrons from the silver atoms in the cubes. The silver dissolves and the gold precipitates.



		Start with a silver (grey) nanocube with clipped corners. Dunk the cube in chloroauric acid (HAuCl₄). Because gold (yellow) has greater affinity for electrons than does silver, the gold ions... Click here for more information.

A gold skin forms on the silver cubes as the cubes are hollowed out from within. The silver atoms enter solution through pores that form in the clipped corners of the cubes.
"But the really cool part," says Xia, "and the cool part of nanotechnology generally, is that the tiny gold cages have very different properties than bulk gold." In particular, they respond differently to light.
The physicist Michael Faraday was the first to realize that a suspension of gold particles glowed ruby-red because the particles were extremely small. "His original sample of a gold colloid is still in the Faraday Museum in London," says Xia, Ph.D., the James M. McKelvey Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. "Isn't that amazing? It's over 150 years later and it's still there."
The color is caused by a physical effect called surface plasmon resonance. Some of the electrons in the gold particles are not anchored to individual atoms but instead form a free-floating electron gas. Light falling on these electrons can drive them to oscillate as one. This collective oscillation, the surface plasmon, picks a particular wavelength, or color, out of the incident light, and this is the color we see.
The strong response at a particular wavelength, called resonance, is what makes a violin string vibrate at a particular pitch or lets a kid pump a swing high in the sky by kicking at just the right moment.
What's more, the surface plasmon resonance is tunable in much the same sense that a violin is tunable.
"Faraday used solid particles to make his colloid," comments Xia. "You can tune the resonant wavelength by changing the particles' size, but only within narrow limits. You can't get to the wavelengths we want."
The wavelengths he wants are the ones at which human tissue is relatively transparent, so that cages in the bloodstream can be opened by laser light shone on the skin.
The color of nanocages can be tuned over a wider range than solid particles by altering the thickness of the cages' walls, says Xia. As more gold is deposited and the shells thicken, a suspension of nanocages shifts from red, to purple, to bright blue, to dark blue, to the wavelengths in the near-infrared.
Xia's team wants to hit a narrow window of tissue transparency that lies between 750 and 900 nanometers, in the near-infrared. This window is bordered on one side by wavelengths strongly absorbed by blood and on the other by those strongly absorbed by water.
Light in this sweet spot can penetrate as deep as several inches in the body.
"People used to do a demonstration at talks," Xia says, laughing. "They'd put a red diode laser in their mouths, and the audience could see it from outside, because the diode's wavelength is 780 nanometers, a wavelength at which flesh is pretty transparent."
Here things get even trickier and yet more amazing. The resonance actually has two parts. At the resonant frequency, light can be scattered off the cages, absorbed by them, or a combination of these two processes.
Just as they can tune the surface plasmon resonance, the scientists can adjust how much energy is absorbed rather than scattered by manipulating the size and porosity of the nanocages.



		Attach a smart polymer to your gold nanocage, seen here in cross section with the pores at the corners. To load the cages, shake them in a solution of the... Click here for more information.

Xia illustrates the difference between scattering and absorption with a marvelous Roman artifact, the 4th-century Lycurgus Cup. The cup looks jade-green from the outside but turns pink when lit from the inside.
Modern analysis shows the ancient glass contains nanoparticles of a silver-gold alloy that scatters light strongly at a wavelength in the green part of the spectrum. When the cup is lit from inside, however, the green light is absorbed, and we see the remaining light, which is predominantly red, the complementary color to green.
It's actually the absorption component that the scientists exploit to open and close the nanocages. When the light is absorbed it is converted to heat, and the nanocages are covered with a special polymer that responds to heat in an interesting way.
The polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and its derivatives has what's called a critical temperature. When it reaches this temperature it undergoes a transformation called a phase change.
If the temperature is lower than the critical temperature, the polymer chains are water-loving and stand out from the cage like brushes. The brushes seal the cage's pores and prevent its cargo from leaking out. If the temperature is above the critical temperature, on the other hand, the polymer chains shun water, shrink together and collapse. As they shrink, the pores of the cage open, and its contents flood out.
"It's a bit counter-intuitive," says Xia. "Typically when you go to higher temperature, a molecule will expand, but this one does the opposite."
Like everything else about this system, the polymer is tunable. The scientists can control its critical temperature by altering its composition. For medical applications, they tune the critical temperature to one right above body temperature (37 degrees Celsius) but well below 42 degrees Celsius (107 degree Fahrenheit), the temperature at which heat would begin to kill cells.
Next comes the fun part. Once they had made their smart capsules, the scientists tested them by loading them with a bright red dye called alazarin crimson, or rose madder. The dye made it easy to detect and measure any release with a spectrometer.
The cages were loaded by shaking them in a solution of the dye at a temperature above the critical temperature of the smart polymer. Next, they were dunked in an ice bath to trigger the polymer to close the pores and trap the dye inside the cages. The cages were then opened again by bathing them in the light of a near-infrared laser. Absorbed light warmed the gold cages above the critical temperature and provoked the polymer's phase change. The polymer collapsed, the cages' pores were exposed, and dye spilled out.
Next the team loaded capsules with doxorubicin, a common chemotherapy drug and, triggering the drug's release with a laser, killed breast cancer cells growing in wells on a plastic plate.
And finally, they loaded the capsules with an enzyme that snips open the cell walls of bacteria and used them to kill a bacterium that is a normal part of the flora of our mouths and throats.
Lucretia, eat your heart out.

NEWS: Tiny laser-scanning microscope images brain cells in freely moving animals

2009-11-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=13337.php

Posted: November 3, 2009
Tiny laser-scanning microscope images brain cells in freely moving animals
(Nanowerk News) By building a tiny microscope small enough to be carried around on a rats` head, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, have found a way to study the complex activity of many brain cells simultaneously while animals are free to move around. With this new technology scientists can actually see how the brain cells operate while the animal is behaving naturally, giving rise to immense new insights into the understanding of perception and attention. (PNAS, Online Early Edition, November 2nd, 2009)

The majority of our life is spent moving around a static world and we generate our impression of the world using visual and other senses simultaneously. It is the ability to freely explore our environment that is essential for the view we form of our local surroundings. When we walk down the street and enter a shop to buy fruit, the street, shop and fruit are not moving, we are. What our brain is probably doing is constantly updating our position based on the information received from our sensory inputs such as eyes, ears, skin as well as our motor and vestibular systems, all in real time. The problem for researchers trying to understand how this occurs has always been how to record meaningful signals from the brain cells that do the calculations while we are in motion.
To get around this problem researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen have developed a way of actually watching the activity of many brain cells simultaneously in an animal that is free to move around the environment. By developing a small, light-weight laser-scanning microscope, researchers were able to, for the first time, image activity from fluorescent neurons in animals that were awake and moving around, while tracking the exact position of the animal in space. The microscope uses a high-powered pulsing laser and fiber optics to scan cells below the surface of the brain, eliminating the need to insert electrodes, which are traditionally used. Because of this, the microscope is non-invasive to the brain tissue.
The traditional approach to solving these sorts of questions is to restrain the animal and present it with a series of scenes or movies or images. The miniaturized microscope allows the researchers to turn this paradigm around and allow the animal to freely move around in its environment, while still allowing the scientists to monitor the activity of the brain cells responsible for processing visual information. It is clear that the brain does not work one cell at a time to recognize the environment, so the microscope records from many cells at a time, allowing for the first time the ability to look at how the brain is able to generate an internal representation of the outside world, while using natural vision.
"We need to let the animal behave as naturally as possible if we want to understand how its brain operates during interaction with complex environments. The new technology is a major milestone on the way to helping us understand how perception and attention work", says Jason Kerr, lead author of the study.
Original work
Juergen Sawinski, Damian J. Wallace, David S. Greenberg, Silvie Grossmann, Winfried Denk, and Jason N. D. Kerr Visually evoked activity in cortical cells imaged in freely moving animals PNAS, Online Early Edition, November 2, 2009 www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0903680106
Source: Max Planck Society

Jobs at ISS Medical (developing and marketing tissue oximeters and functional brain optical imaging instruments for critical care, neuroscience, sports medicine and cardiovascular)

2009-11-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

POSITION TITLE: Electric Engineer (Electro‐Optical Systems)

LOCATION: Irvine/Lake Forest Area, Orange County, CA

JOB SUMMARY:

System design, integration, testing and assembly of electro‐optical components for medical diagnostics

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• New product development – including system specifications and design descriptions, defining critical interfaces

between sub‐systems, and managing sub‐system interactions to ensure proper system function.

• Electrical design and software programming development of patient monitoring instruments

• Perform instrument validation and design reviews to meet specified requirements and the regulatory compliance

• Generate design control documents and standard operating procedures for medical device regulatory compliance

and ISO requirements

• Coordinate with multi‐discipline engineers including mechanical, electrical, and software

• Must be able to work both as part of a team and as an individual with self‐directed effort

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with the design, development, analysis, and integration of electro‐optical components including: optical

detectors (APD/PMT), Laser diodes, optical MEMS switches

• Experience with safety standards (UL, CE), and circuit design (precision analog, digital/mixed signal), automated data

acquisition, instrument control, PCB layout, electronic packaging

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in development of embedded medical devices

• Background in development of microprocessor controlled hardware, esp. wireless remote appliances

• Embedded design, HDL (VHDL or Verilog), Xilinx FPGAs, real‐time data acquisition and digital signal processing

• LabView, C/C++, C#, low‐level C programming/device driver development, PCB Layout

• Hardware engineering fundamentals (digital and analogue electronics), hardware design/analysis tools, hardware

specifications

• Working experience with ISO 13485, FDA design controls or in similar regulatory environment.

EDUCATION:

Minimum associate degree in Electrical Engineering (B.S./M.S. preferred) with of 2‐5 years relevant experience.

KEYWORDS

Electrical Engineer, Systems Engineer, Product Development Engineer, Embedded Systems Engineer; PMT, APD, Diodes;

ABOUT ISS, INC.:

ISS Medical is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISS, Inc. focused on developing and marketing tissue oximeters and

functional brain optical imaging instruments for critical care, neuroscience, sports medicine and cardiovascular

applications. ISS, Inc., founded in 1984, has been committed to the development of highly sensitive spectroscopic

instrumentation for research, clinical and industrial applications. For more information about the company, please visit

our website at www.iss.com.

CONACT:

Submit your job application (including cover letter and resume) to jobs@iss.com.

POSITION TITLE: Product Development Engineer (Electro‐Mechanical Design)

LOCATION: Irvine/Lake Forest Area, Orange County, CA

JOB SUMMARY:

System design, integration, testing and assembly of new medical device

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• New product development – including system specifications and design descriptions, defining critical interfaces

between sub‐systems, and managing sub‐system interactions to ensure proper system function.

• Electrical design and software programming development of patient monitoring instruments

• Mechanical design and fabrication of disposable optical sensors

• Perform instrument validation and design reviews to meet specified requirements and the regulatory compliance

• Generate design control documents and standard operating procedures for medical device regulatory compliance

and ISO requirements

• Coordinate with multi‐discipline engineers including mechanical, electrical, and software

• Must be able to work both as part of a team and as an individual with self‐directed effort

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ideal candidate would possess electrical AND mechanical engineering skills

• Experience in new product development of embedded medical devices and/or disposable sensors

• Experience with safety standards (UL, CE), and circuit design (precision analog, digital/mixed signal), automated data

acquisition, instrument control, PCB layout and electronic packaging

• Strong CAD experience with proficiency in SolidWorks or other tools

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Background in development of microprocessor controlled hardware

• Experience in design of power management for mobile applications

• Experience in development of embedded medical devices:

Embedded design, HDL (VHDL or Verilog), Xilinx FPGAs, real‐time data acquisition and digital signal processing

• Working experience with ISO 13485, FDA design controls or in similar regulatory environment.

EDUCATION:

Minimum associate degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering (B.S./M.S. preferred) with 2+ years relevant experience.

KEYWORDS:

Mechanical Design Engineer; Product Design Engineer; Embedded Medical Devices; CAD

ABOUT ISS, INC.:

ISS Medical is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISS, Inc. focused on developing and marketing tissue oximeters and

functional brain optical imaging instruments for critical care, neuroscience, sports medicine and cardiovascular

applications. ISS, Inc., founded in 1984, has been committed to the development of highly sensitive spectroscopic

instrumentation for research, clinical and industrial applications. For more information about the company, please visit

our website at www.iss.com.

CONACT:

Submit your job application (including cover letter and resume) to jobs@iss.com.

POSITION TITLE: Signal Processing and Algorithm Development Engineer

LOCATION: Irvine/Lake Forest Area, Orange County, CA

JOB SUMMARY:

Entry Level position in developing new algorithms for hemodynamic monitoring devices

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collection, processing and analysis of pre‐clinical and clinical physiology measurements

• Research, develop, and implement advanced signal processing algorithms applied to physiologic monitoring.

• Work with scientists and clinicians to formulate methodologies and algorithms in quantitative analysis of

hemodynamic responses

• Writing technical specifications, writing codes, and documenting any testing and validation

• Reporting significant results in the form of internal reports and/or peer‐reviewed journal articles.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong mathematical background and aptitude with experience in signal processing, esp. in physiologic data analysis

• Experience with MATLAB, or other signal processing tools

• Ability to develop new algorithms

• Software development experience

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in pulse oximeter technology or other hemodynamic monitoring devices

• Proficiency in C/C++, Java, or C#.

EDUCATION:

B.S. in Computer Science, Biomedical / Electrical Engineering, Math, or Physics, or equivalent training in signal/data

processing and software development

KEYWORDS:

Software Developer; Algorithm Developer; Bio‐signal Analysis; Signal Processing; Cardiovascular

ABOUT ISS, INC.:

ISS Medical is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISS, Inc. focused on developing and marketing tissue oximeters and

functional brain optical imaging instruments for critical care, neuroscience, sports medicine and cardiovascular

applications. ISS, Inc., founded in 1984, has been committed to the development of highly sensitive spectroscopic

instrumentation for research, clinical and industrial applications. For more information about the company, please visit

our website at www.iss.com.

CONACT:

Submit your job application (including cover letter and resume) to jobs@iss.com.

POSITION TITLE: R&D Technician

LOCATION: Irvine/Lake Forest Area, Orange County, CA

JOB SUMMARY:

Entry level position responsible for performing various research and development tasks

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collection, processing and analysis of pre‐clinical and clinical physiologic data

• Assembly of electronic components/subsystems

• Testing electronic components and integrated systems

• Fabrication of plastic/elastomer components

• Assists in other miscellaneous R&D activities

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ideal candidate will have training in electrical engineering with life science research experience

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in MATLAB, or other signal processing tools

• Proficiency in C/C++, Java, or C#.

• CAD programming (i.e. SolidWorks)

• Circuit Design

EDUCATION:

Associate Degree or B.S. in Engineering or Science with prior laboratory experience will be preferred

KEYWORDS:

Electronics Assembly; Research Assistant; Biomedical Engineering

ABOUT ISS, INC.:

ISS Medical is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISS, Inc. focused on developing and marketing tissue oximeters and

functional brain optical imaging instruments for critical care, neuroscience, sports medicine and cardiovascular

applications. ISS, Inc., founded in 1984, has been committed to the development of highly sensitive spectroscopic

instrumentation for research, clinical and industrial applications. For more information about the company, please visit

our website at www.iss.com.

CONACT:

Submit your job application (including cover letter and resume) to jobs@iss.com.

NEWS: Guided Therapeutics to Introduce New Cancer Detection Technology at Medica 2009

2009-11-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS61941+02-Nov-2009+BW20091102

Mon Nov 2, 2009 3:00am EST

LightTouch to be shown to international distributors, physicians and healthcare

purchasers

NORCROSS, Ga.--(Business Wire)--

Guided Therapeutics, Inc. (GT) (Pink Sheets: GTHP) today announced plans to

introduce its LightTouch non-invasive cancer detection technology at Medica 2009

in Düsseldorf, Germany November 18 - 20, 2009.

GT will be showcasing the LightTouch Cervical Neoplasia Detection System in

anticipation of a 2010 international launch. GT intends to meet with medical

device distributors with gynecological market expertise, as well as government

purchasing officials, in order to better understand the cervical cancer market

structure in the various countries.

The company is also looking to identify physicians who specialize in colposcopy

and cervical disease management in the interest of establishing partnerships for

multinational clinical studies involving the LightTouch.

"We believe the LightTouch will significantly improve the standard of care in

the area of cervical pre-cancer detection in a wide range of market settings,"

said Mark L. Faupel, Ph.D., President and CEO of GT. "Our experience in

launching new non-invasive detection technology indicates an international

product launch - while the technology is undergoing U.S. FDA premarket review -

permits us to have an earlier, positive affect on woman`s healthcare while

increasing shareholder value."

In conjunction with its partner Konica Minolta Opto, Inc. of Tokyo, GT will also

be holding design and feature requirement discussions with international

healthcare professionals for its LightTouch technology for detecting and

monitoring Barrett`s esophagus.

In cooperation with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Guided

Therapeutics will be exhibiting in the North American Pavilion at Hall 16 D10-8.

Medica is the world`s largest medical industry tradeshow and more than 135,000

visitors from over 100 countries are expected to attend this annual event

About Guided Therapeutics

Guided Therapeutics, Inc. (Pink Sheets: GTHP) is developing a rapid and painless

test for the early detection of disease that leads to cervical cancer. The

technology is designed to provide an objective result at the point of care,

thereby improving the management of cervical disease. Unlike Pap and HPV tests,

the device does not require a painful tissue sample and results are known

immediately. GT also has an agreement with Konica Minolta Opto, Inc. (KMOT) of

Tokyo to co-develop non-invasive products, for the detection of lung and

esophageal cancer based on the company`s LightTouch non-invasive cervical cancer

detection technology. For more information, visit GT`s web site

www.guidedinc.com.

The Guided Therapeutics LightTouch Non-invasive Cervical Cancer Detection Device

is an investigational device and is limited by federal law to investigational

use.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of

1995. A number of the matters and subject areas discussed in this news release

that are not historical or current facts deal with potential future

circumstances and developments. The discussion of such matters and subject areas

is qualified by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future

expectations generally and also may materially differ from Guided Therapeutics`

actual future experience involving any of or more of such matters and subject

areas. Such risks and uncertainties include: the early stage of products in

development, the uncertainty of market acceptance of products, the uncertainty

of development or effectiveness of distribution channels, the intense

competition in the medical device industry, the uncertainty of capital to

develop products, the uncertainty of regulatory approval of products, dependence

on licensed intellectual property, as well as those that are more fully

described from time to time under the heading "Risk Factors" in Guided

Therapeutics` reports filed with the SEC, including Guided Therapeutics` Annual

Report on Form 10-KA for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 and subsequent

quarterly reports.

For Guided Therapeutics, Inc.

Bill Wells, 770-242-8723

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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NEWS: Optics technology to bring new health care tools to light

2009-11-02T12:59:00.001-08:00

http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=11243

BY ELIZABETH BASSETT

October 26, 2009

The name of the lecture was intimidating: “Endomicroscopy and Nano-biophotonics Technologies towards Visualization of Histopathology in situ.”

The take-home message, though, was more direct. With more inter-disciplinary research, optics technology is growing and soon health care professionals will be able to benefit from new diagnostic and visualization tools that all rely on light.

Xingde Li, associate professor of both biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering at Johns Hopkins University, outlined research he is doing with collaborators that uses light in various ways to better see inside living patients.

Li’s lecture was the first in a series presented by the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Engineering, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary with various events, including guest speakers throughout the school year. While most of the audience members were in some way affiliated with the college, either as researchers, professors or students, Li called for collaboration to tackle medical problems.

“In terms of disease and death, there is no good or bad,” Li said after the lecture. “It’s all bad.”

That’s part of the reason why optics specialists are focusing on two primary health issues, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Each of these is a delicate and potentially life-threatening condition, but accurately assessing what’s going on inside a patient’s body is difficult.

Modern imaging technology, like MRIs and CAT scans, rely on radiation and are time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, these technologies don’t have a very high resolution and can’t narrow in on tiny areas. Small clumps of cancer cells left behind after surgery can cause cancer to recur, and tiny blockages called plaques inside arteries can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Developing noninvasive probes, like ones that could be joined with an endoscope, that rely on light will be safer for a patient and can provide a better resolution so doctors can ensure they are being effective when it comes to biopsies and other procedures.

“Can a doctor tell what piece of tissue should be cut and what piece of tissue should be spared?” Li said.

There are various ways light can contribute to medicine. Not only can it provide structural imaging — giving a better resolution image of something happening just under the surface, for example — but it can also provide images of biochemical or molecular changes. Imaging can be achieved by translating echoes of light pulses, much like ultrasound, or it can done by using fluorescence.

Another benefit to optics technology is that it is much more compact than big imaging machines — it takes extensive planning to install and MRI machine in a building — and devices are being designed to be operated by physicians and other health care workers. Li said the devices he is working on are easy to use and that physicians are eager to try them out.

“Most of them are excited,” he said. “They are not afraid to turn the key on.”

Currently, the issue comes with overeager physicians sometimes jostling or accidentally breaking down the devices being made now, which are prototypes and vulnerable to problems, Li explained.

Light technologies are being used in medicine right now, Li said, such as the pulse oximeter, a small device that straps onto the finger and can tell a health worker how much oxygen is in a patient’s blood. However, the field is growing more as more applications are being found.

“People often don’t realize how much more optics can do,” he said.

Recent research growth comes in part from telecommunications advances, like fiber optics and different ways to create light, detect light and spread it, Li said. Translational researchers have been taking these new technologies and finding ways to advance them further or tweak their purposes, and public awareness of optics is growing as well.

However, just as all research, funding is necessary, Li said. Telecommunications technology came from corporate funding and research investments, and he said more backing will lead to better results. Some of his own research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Coulter Foundation Translational Research Award, among others.

“If we want to see some impact, there has to be commercialization, there has to be investment,” he said.

NEWS: DUSA Pharmaceuticals Surpasses One Million in Cumulative Levulan(R) Kerastick(R) Sales Units

2009-11-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS110943+28-Oct-2009+PRN20091028

Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:30am EDT

Email | Print |

| Reprints | Single Page

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DUSA Pharmaceuticals Surpasses One Million in Cumulative Levulan(R)

Kerastick(R) Sales Units

WILMINGTON, Mass., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DUSA Pharmaceuticals,

Inc.® (Nasdaq GM: DUSA), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on

dermatology, announced today that global sales volumes of the Levulan®

Kerastick®, an integral part of the Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

technology platform, surpassed one million units.

"The achievement of this milestone signifies that dermatologists in the U.S.

and abroad continue to embrace Levulan PDT for Grade 1 and 2 actinic keratoses

(AKs) of the face and scalp and the beneficial outcomes it offers their

patients," said Bob Doman, DUSA's President and Chief Executive Officer.

"We believe that Levulan PDT is one of the fastest growing office based

procedures in dermatology today, having achieved a 39% compounded annual

growth rate in worldwide Kerastick revenues over the past four years,"

continued Doman.

"PDT is an important, versatile technology that should be integrated more

frequently in clinical dermatology practice," said Jill Waibel, M.D., a

dermatologist in private practice at Palm Beach Esthetic Dermatology & Laser

Center, West Palm Beach, Florida.

"We are excited to have reached the one million Kerastick sales milestone, and

believe that significant growth potential exists for Levulan PDT in the

treatment of AKs and other potential indications," Doman concluded.

DUSA continues to explore other potential indications for the utilization of

Levulan PDT for the treatment of various skin conditions and has initiated a

pilot study on Levulan PDT for the treatment of AKs and the prevention of new

non-melanoma skin cancer in chronically immunosuppressed solid organ

transplant recipients.

About DUSA Pharmaceuticals

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ® is an integrated dermatology pharmaceutical

company focused primarily on the development and marketing of its Levulan®

Photodynamic Therapy technology platform, and complementary dermatology

products.  Levulan PDT is currently approved for the treatment of Grade 1 and

2 actinic keratoses of the face and scalp.  DUSA also markets other

dermatology products, including ClindaReach®.  DUSA is researching Levulan PDT

for the treatment of AKs and the prevention of new non-melanoma skin cancer in

chronically immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients.  DUSA is based

in Wilmington, Mass. Please visit our Web site at www.dusapharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Except for historical information, this news release contains certain

forward-looking statements that represent our current expectations and beliefs

concerning future events, and involve certain known and unknown risk and

uncertainties.  These forward-looking statements relate to belief concerning

the speed of Levulan growth and its potential for additional growth and

additional indications.  These forward-looking statements are further

qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ

materially from future results, performance or achievements expressed or

implied by those in the forward-looking statements made in this release.

These factors include, without limitation, actions by health regulatory

authorities, sufficiency of funds, the regulatory approval process, results of

clinical trials, reliance on third party manufacturers, our patent portfolio,

and other risks and uncertainties identified in DUSA's Form 10-K for the year

ended December 31, 2008, and other SEC filings from time to time.

SOURCE  DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

NEWS: Researchers Develop Innovative Imaging System to Study Sudden Cardiac Arrest

2009-11-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2009/nhlbi-30.htm

For Immediate Release
Friday, October 30, 2009

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Contact:
NHLBI Office of Communications
301-496-4236

NHLBI Recovery Act Funds Will Advance Understanding, Could Lead to Exploration of Potential New Treatments

A research team at Vanderbilt University has developed an innovative optical system to simultaneously image electrical activity and metabolic properties in the same region of a heart, to study the complex mechanisms that lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Tested in animal models, the system could dramatically advance scientists' understanding of the relationship between metabolic disorders and heart rhythm disturbances in humans that can lead to cardiac arrest and death, and provide a platform for testing new treatments to prevent or stop potentially fatal irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias.
The research is supported in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
The design and use of the dual camera system is described in the Nov.1 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine. Additional support for the project has also been provided by the Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education (VIIBRE), the American Heart Association, and the Simons Center for Systems Biology at the Institute for Advanced Study.
"The challenge in understanding cardiac rhythm disorders is to discern the dynamic relationship between multiple cardiac variables," said one of the coauthors of the paper and the project's principal investigator, John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., Gordon A. Cain University Professor and VIIBRE director. "This dual camera system opens up a new window for correlating metabolic and electrophysiological events, which are usually studied independently."
The 11-year-old research project would have been terminated this year due to lack of funding, according to Wikswo. But a $566,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant from the NHLBI is enabling the 13-member research team to continue developing and testing the innovative optical system. Recovery Act funds are also allowing the team to purchase a pair of $60,000 high-speed and highly sensitive digital cameras to record the changes in the metabolic and electrical activity of isolated cardiac tissue using low-intensity fluorescent dyes under conditions associated with heart failure, ischemia, fibrillation and other pathological circumstances.
"Through the Recovery Act, the NHLBI is able to support promising research to develop and enhance innovative technologies to help us better understand the complex mechanisms involved in potentially fatal conditions such as sudden cardiac arrest," said NHLBI Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D. "This research will allow us to better understand how to prevent and treat life-threatening cardiac rhythm disturbances and potentially save thousands of lives every year."
Each year, 250,000 to 450,000 people die in the United States as a result of sudden cardiac arrest, a condition that is triggered by arrhythmia. Usually, a complex series of electrical and metabolic changes precede sudden cardiac arrest.
The Vanderbilt researchers created and tested an innovative way to visualize the electrical activity of the heart in relation to its structure and changing metabolic state under different pathological conditions. Their multimodal cardiac imaging technique uses a two-camera approach to integrate electrophysiological imaging with optical fluorescence imaging of metabolic activity associated with damaged heart tissue and tachycardia, or accelerated heart rate. The biochemical and electrochemical studies of heart tissue under controlled conditions will enhance scientists' understanding of electrometabolic cardiac disorders and their clinical treatment.
The advantages of this imaging system over others include rapid setup, two-color image separation, high spatial resolution, and an optional software camera calibration routine that eliminates the need for precise camera alignment. The authors provide a detailed description of a camera calibration procedure along with multiple examples.
In addition, the multimodal imaging system will be a less-invasive, instrumental tool in helping scientists discover and test safe and effective ways to prevent or treat arrhythmias. Current treatments include medications that can produce undesirable side effects and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, a small device thats placed under the skin in the chest and uses electrical pulses or shocks to help control life-threatening arrhythmias.
To arrange an interview with an NHLBI spokesperson, please contact the NHLBI Communications Office at (301) 496-4236 or nhlbi_news@nhlbi.nih.gov. To interview Dr. Wikswo and other investigators from Vanderbilt University, contact 615-343-6803.
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Resources:

· Paper published in Experimental Biology and Medicine: The Potential of Dual Camera Systems for Multimodal Imaging of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Metabolism

· Profile of John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., and the grant "Correlative Multimodal Imaging of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Metabolism" http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/recovery/researchers/index.php?id=177

· What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest? http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/scda/scda_whatis.html

· What is an Arrhythmia?, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/arr/arr_whatis.html

· What Is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator?, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/icd/icd_whatis.html

NEWS: Custom-made cameras for blood-flow imaging

2009-11-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

http://spie.org/x37664.xml?highlight=x2416&ArticleID=x37664

Biomedical Optics & Medical Imaging

Stephen Morgan and Barrie Hayes-Gill

High-frame-rate, real-time laser Doppler imaging of biological tissue uses advances in optical sensing and processing.

30 October 2009, SPIE Newsroom. DOI: 10.1117/2.1200909.1815

Laser Doppler blood-flow imaging (LDBFI) has been applied for many years to monitor microcirculation. It measures the frequency shift induced when light is scattered by moving red blood cells. The technique has been used in relation to many conditions, including burn and wound assessment and understanding of inflammatory responses and diabetes. Early systems monitored blood flow at a single point and then progressed to build up images through point-by-point scanning. However, acquisition time can be slow (up to five minutes for a full image), which means that images are susceptible to motion artifacts. In addition, dynamic blood-flow changes cannot be measured.

Laser Doppler (LD) signals have frequency components up to 20kHz, which is too high for detection by conventional video cameras. An alternative approach, laser speckle-contrast imaging¹ measures the contrast of light scattered by tissue over the integration time of a conventional camera. A low speckle contrast indicates faster blood flow. Because the rapid fluctuations in light intensity cannot be measured by a conventional camera, this approach relies on an accurate model relating contrast to flow. Recent developments in high-frame-rate CMOS cameras mean that these intensity fluctuations can now be measured directly, which has enabled rapid acquisition of LD signals.^2,3

There are still two drawbacks. First, a bottleneck exists in the data flow between the sensor and the external (off-chip) processor. This can be overcome by employing a smart-CMOS approach. Second, the large amounts of data passed from the sensor may result in additional congestion at the processor.² We have addressed the latter by facilitating parallel processing on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

Smart-CMOS optical sensors are arrays of photodetectors that perform on-chip processing. In LDBFI, calculating the blood-flow value on-chip allows us to overcome the data bottleneck between sensor and processor. This approach removes the requirement for data transfer at a frequency of 40kHz for each pixel, since only the processed blood-flow value is transfered off-chip. In addition, processing can be tailored to typical signals because our sensor is custom-made. For example, LDBFI works on the principle of detecting small AC signals on a large DC pedestal (with a modulation depth of ~1%). Consequently, we amplify the AC component by a factor of 50 and apply unity gain to the DC voltage. Fewer bits are therefore required in the on-chip analog-to-digital converter.

The processing required to extract a blood flow measurement from a detected Doppler signal involves integration over a bandwidth of typically 200Hz to 20kHz, normalization by the DC level, passing the signal through a frequency-weighted filter, followed by squaring and time averaging.⁴ Processing is relatively simple. However, it is a challenge to implement this approach in silicon spanning multiple pixels to ensure that the fill factor remains high and the sensor inexpensive. The low frequency range of the data means that the size of on-chip capacitors and resistors can become very large. Designs are required that can implement the processing electronics spatially efficiently.

To date, we have designed and demonstrated a range of test sensors with different characteristics, all scalable to larger arrays.^5,6 We show an example in Figure 1, consisting of a 16×1 photodiode array, current-to-voltage converter, AC amplifier, anti-aliasing filter, analog-to-digital converters, and digital filters. An example blood-flow signal from an occlusion and release test is illustrated in Figure 2. Our most recent design is a 64×64-pixel array, which builds on the 16×1 array design to provide a fully integrated 2D imager.

in collaboration with Moor Instruments (UK). They developed a line-scanning system (moorLDLS) that can obtain 64 intensity values simultaneously using a linear photodetector array. A bottleneck at the processor limits the speed to one frame per ~12s. The FPGA provides parallel processing, enabling acquisition of a 64×64-pixel image in only ~4s (see Figure 3).

Smart-CMOS sensors overcome the data-transfer bottleneck, thus enabling full-field LDBFI. We next aim to take the 64×64-pixel system to the University of Southampton (UK) to image blood-flow changes in inflammatory responses. Continued improvements in camera technology will ultimately lead to development of cameras that can rapidly sample LD signals for external processing by, for example, FPGAs. Nevertheless, smart-CMOS sensors will still be useful in applications where a compact design is important, such as in capsule endoscopy. Higher-frequency applications of our FPGA-assisted approach include ultrasound-modulated optical tomography, imaging air flow, and vibrometry where frequencies can be in the megahertz range.

This research was funded by the UK Department of Health (New and Emerging Applications of Technology program) and the UK Technology Strategy Board. We are grateful to our collaborators at Moor Instruments, the Universities of Exeter and Southampton (UK), and the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. We are also grateful to our academic colleagues (J. A. Crowe and Y. Zhu), postdoctoral researchers (D. He and X. Xu), and PhD students (N. Hoang and J. Himsworth).

Stephen Morgan, Barrie Hayes-Gill

Electrical Systems and Optics Research Division

Faculty of Engineering

University of Nottingham

Nottingham, UK

Stephen Morgan is an associate professor and reader in biomedical optics. His research interests include laser Doppler blood-flow imaging, polarized-light measurements, ultrasound-modulated optical tomography, and sensing techniques for regenerative medicine.

Barrie Hayes-Gill is an associate professor with research interests in biomedical electronics and integrated-circuit design. He has published over 150 papers and holds six patents for medical electronic devices.

References:

1. J. D. Briers, Laser Doppler, speckle and related techniques for blood perfusion mapping and imaging, Physiol. Meas. 22, pp. R35-R66, 2001.

2. M. Draijer, E. Hondebrink, T. van Leeuwen, W. Steenbergen, Twente Optical Perfusion Camera: system overview and performance for video rate laser Doppler perfusion imaging, Opt. Express 17, pp. 3211-3225, 2009.

3. A. Serov, T. Lasser, High-speed laser Doppler perfusion imaging using an integrating CMOS image sensor, Opt. Express 13, no. 17, pp. 6416-6428, 2005.

4. G. Belcaro, U. Hoffman, A. Bollinger, A. Nicolaides, Laser Doppler, Prentice Hall, 1994.

5. Q. Gu, B. R. Hayes-Gill, S. P. Morgan, Laser Doppler blood flow CMOS imaging sensor with analog on-chip processing, Appl. Opt. 47, pp. 2061-2069, 2008.

6. C. Kongsavatsak, D. He, B. R. Hayes-Gill, J. A. Crowe, S. P. Morgan, Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor imaging array with laser Doppler blood flow processing, Opt. Eng. 47, pp. 104401, 2008.

NEWS: Lein Applied Diagnostics Raises £1 Million

2009-10-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Lein Applied Diagnostics Ltd., a UK-based developer of non-invasive optical measurement technology, has raised £1 million from the UMIP Premier Fund and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
PRESS RELEASE
Lein Applied Diagnostics Limited (Lein), developer of non-invasive optical measurement technology, announces that it has raised £1 million from the UPF (the UMIP Premier Fund, managed by MTI) and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
Lein is developing an innovative confocal scanning technique in which a low power beam of light is shone into the eye, and the reflected light used to evaluate the health of the individual. A key application is the non-invasive measurement of the blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, a procedure currently performed by patients taking a pin prick of blood 3-4 times a day. Lein’s pain-free alternative promises to significantly disrupt the $7bn market for blood glucose monitoring. Other significant applications of Lein’s technology include optometry and pharmacokinetics.
The new investment in Lein will enable the company to miniaturise its technology so that in its next generation of clinical trials, the technology will be in the form of convenient, hand-held devices.
Alongside these technical advances Lein intends to undertake further clinical work on blood glucose monitoring, building on studies already undertaken at The Royal Berkshire Hospital. Having closed this institutional section of the investment round Lein has allowed a window of 30 days for a number of business angel investors to invest alongside UPF and NESTA.
Dan Daly, co-founder and director said: “We are delighted to announce the successful closure of this first stage of Lein’s current round. This funding will allow us to build on our successes to date and implement and validate our technology in its hand-held form. As we move towards market, the combined qualities of Lein’s three institutional investors – Seven Spires, UPF and NESTA – will ensure that the company has a strong base from which to grow.”
Graeme Clark, co-founder and director added: “As Lein has proven its technology we have generated increasing interest from a number of complimentary markets. We are now positioned to start exploiting that interest to the full.” David Holbrook, Director of MTI Partners Limited, managers of the UPF, said: “We have been watching Lein develop over the last few years and have been monitoring its substantial technical progress. We have been impressed with the way the founders have harnessed technology from a number of different sources, including from UPF’s perspective The University of Manchester. Lein has set itself ambitious targets for the coming year but we are confident they will achieve them.”
Ivan Griffin, Investment Manager at NESTA, added “Diabetes is a growing problem around the world. Lein’s technology has great potential to both improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, and reduce this condition’s ever increasing financial burden on the healthcare system.”
About Lein Applied Diagnostics Limited
Lein Applied Diagnostics is a rapidly growing company that has developed an innovative optical technology for performing non-contacting, and hence pain-free, diagnostic measurements on the body via the eye. Lein’s primary areas of interest are the measurement of glucose for people with diabetes, biometry of the eye for optometrists and pharmacokinetics for the pharmaceuticals industry.

NEWS: SPIE supports breast cancer research in the lab, awareness in the community

2009-10-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

Web version: http://www.spie.org/x37834.xml

BELLINGHAM, WA, USA — 27 October 2008 — As international researchers prepare to present their latest work on new diagnostic and treatment methods for breast cancer at an SPIE-sponsored event next January, SPIE is supporting an annual art exhibit in its headquarters community to raise awareness of the condition.

At home, SPIE is among several local organizations which annually support “Reaching for the Light,” a non-juried exhibition in support of breast cancer survivors and their families. This year’s show opens with a reception on 13 November at the Blue Horse Gallery (Bellingham, Washington, USA) and runs through 27 November.

In San Francisco (California, USA) the not-for-profit optics and photonics professional society will present SPIE Photonics West, an international conference and exhibition that each January convenes thousands of top researchers and technology developers. Papers are presented on topics such as detecting cancer cells using sound waves, using laser technology to better identify cancer cells during surgery, and using 3D models to distinguish healthy from unhealthy tissues.

The event is one of several annual SPIE events where medical applications of optics and photonics are spotlighted. SPIE also organizes meetings on remote sensing, infrared and laser technologies, communications, microelectronics, optoelectronics, and other topics, and publishes technical articles in the SPIE Digital Library and the SPIE Newsroom.

October is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month around the world. Early detection is considered to be a key factor in survival of the disease. As mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older over the past 20 years, breast cancer deaths have declined.

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 188,000 constituents from 138 countries, the Society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific. In 2008, SPIE contributed $1.9 million in support of scholarships, grants, and other education programs around the world. For more information, visit SPIE.org.

# # # #

Media contact:

Amy Nelson, Public Relations Manager

SPIE

Tel +1 360 685 5478

Twitter: twitter.com/SPIEtweets

Email: amy@spie.org

Web: SPIE.org

NEWS: 'Mini lasers' illuminate dark molecules

2009-10-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

http://optics.org/cws/article/research/40762

Oct 23, 2009

Stimulated emission microscopy sheds new light on biological samples.

Mini lasers at work

A new microscopy technique that turns molecules into "mini lasers" has been developed by researchers in the US. The new method could help scientists to study biological samples containing "dark molecules", which are invisible to today's advanced fluorescence microscopes.
Fluorescence microscopy is the technique of choice for obtaining high-resolution images of biological samples. It works by tagging molecules in the sample with fluorophores – molecules that emit light shortly after being illuminated with light of a shorter wavelength. However, some important biological molecules such as haemoglobin cannot be tagged in this way, rendering them invisible to such microcopes.
The new method is called stimulated emission microscopy and was developed at Harvard University by Wei Min, Sijia Lu, Sunney Xie and colleagues. It is a classic "pump-then-probe" measurement that involves firing two different laser pulses at the sample. Each pulse is about 200 femtoseconds long and the two are separated by less than a picosecond.
Energy from the first (pump) pulse is absorbed by a molecule of interest, placing it in an excited energy state. The energy of the photons in the second (probe) pulse is set at precisely the difference between the molecule's excited and ground states. This stimulates emission of photons from the excited molecules, which boosts the amplitude of the probe pulse by a factor of 1+10^–4 to 1+10^–8.

Mini lasers

Xie told physicsworld.com that this is the same process involved in the production of laser light – in effect the molecules are acting as mini lasers.
To extract this tiny signal, which is much smaller than noise in the probe laser, the team switched the train of pump pulses on and off at about 5 MHz and used a lock-in amplifier to eliminate low-frequency noise. An image can be built up in a matter of minutes by scanning the pulses across the sample and repeating the measurement.
By adjusting the energies of the pump and probe lasers, the Harvard group were able to image a number of biological samples containing hitherto dark molecules. They could, for example, see individual red blood cells in a sample of mouse tissue as well as measure the distribution of a certain drug in a similar sample.

Watching quantum dots

In addition to biological samples, Xie believes that the technique could prove useful for characterizing a wide range of organic and inorganic materials with so-called "dark states" – including quantum dots.
Xie said that he hopes to "test the interest of microscope manufacturers" with regards to the commercialization of the technique.
The research is reported in Nature and, in a commentary in the same issue of the journal, Stefan Hell and Eva Rittweger of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Heidelberg describe the work as "a bold step towards unveiling details of live cells and tissues that would otherwise be left uncharted".

About the author

Hamish Johnston is editor of physicsworld.com

Postdoctoral Scholar; Photonics Technology Initiative (VPTI) at the University of California, Irvine

2009-10-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Postdoctoral Scholar

SALARY: $37,068-$40,584 annually

Starting Date: 15 November 2009 or until post is filled

Posting Date: 12 October 2009

Applications are invited for a Post-Doctoral position, at 100% time for 12 months, within the Virtual Photonics Technology Initiative (VPTI) at the University of California, Irvine. We seek scholars with a strong record of productive activity in computational biophotonics who can make significant contributions to the design, development and implementation of the Virtual Tissue Simulator (VTS) computational platform under development within the VPTI. Specifically, we are looking for researchers with experience in computational methods for modeling and simulation of radiative transport processes in biological systems. The scholar will interact closely with the VPTI team and will play an active role in applying analytic, deterministic and/or stochastic methods to problems involving optical diagnostics, therapeutics and/or imaging. Moreover, as the VPTI seeks to translate these tools for broad use in the biomedical research community using VTS, researchers with experience in object-oriented programming, parallel computing and/or the design of graphical user interfaces would be particularly attractive. Good organization, oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work constructively in a team setting are essential. The candidate will have access to resources at the Laser Microbeam and Medical Program, a NIH-funded National Biotechnology Resource housed within the Beckman Laser Institute, which is active in the development of a broad variety of optical technologies for biomedical application. This position provides a unique opportunity to gain experience in a multidisciplinary environment and any background in biomedical optics/biophotonics is valuable. Salary will be based on the specific skill set of the candidate and previous experience. The initial appointment will be for a one-year period, with possibility of extension.

Candidates should hold a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering, medical physics, applied mathematics or equivalent. The specific salary will depend on the level of experience and previous track record. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

To be considered for the position, applicants should send a curriculum vitae and names/addresses of at least three references to:

Prof. Vasan Venugopalan

Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA 92697-1475

The University of California, Irvine is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.

____________________________________________________________________________

Vasan Venugopalan, Sc.D., Professor of Chemical Engineering,

Biomedical Engineering, and Surgery

916 Engineering Tower Phone: (949) 824-5802

University of California, Irvine Fax: (949) 824-2541

Irvine, CA 92697-2575 email: vvenugop-at-uci.edu

also

Laser Microbeam and Medical Program

Beckman Laser Institute

University of California, Irvine

1002 Health Sciences Rd.

Irvine, CA 92697-3010

NEWS: OCT: A 3D Video of the Embryonic Heartbeat

2009-10-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/24280/

http://www.technologyreview.com/video/?vid=467

Thursday, October 22, 2009

A 3D Video of the Embryonic Heartbeat

Researchers are using a new imaging technique to study the development of the mammalian heart.

By Katherine Bourzac

One percent of infants in the United States are born with cardiovascular abnormalities. The developmental processes that lead to these congenital problems aren't visible in ultrasound scans, and the lack of tools for imaging mammalian development non-invasively at high resolution has hindered researchers' attempts to understand these processes.
In the hopes of providing insights into how these developmental problems might be prevented, researchers at the University of Houston have developed an imaging system they're using to take 3D video of the mammalian heart as it forms. In the video below, showing a mouse embryo that's 8.5 days past conception, a normal heartbeat is visible. The mouse heart begins to form at 7.5 days.

The video was made using an imaging technology called optical-coherence tomography. Though it looks grainy, this and other video of the developing heart made by the Houston group are some of the best ever taken. "These are the first images at high resolution of the beating [mammalian] heart," says Kirill Larin, assistant professor of biomedical and mechanical engineering at the University of Houston. "You can see the blood vessels, the heart chambers." The current resolution of the technique is six micrometers and Larin expects to get it down to two.
Microscopy techniques can get much higher resolution, but they're invasive. Ultrasound can go deeply enough into the body to image human embryos, but it's low resolution. The Texas researchers developed a variation on optical coherence tomography that combines some of the advantages of each: it's higher resolution than ultrasound, it's noninvasive, and it can look deeper into the body than microscopy (not deep enough to work in people, but deep enough to watch a mouse embryo in the lab). Other studies of the developing heart have been done in fish and amphibians: they're easier to see because these animals are smaller. But their cardiovascular systems are significantly different from our own. Many congenital cardiovascular problems result from the malformation of chambers of the heart. Fish hearts have just two chambers; amphibian hearts have three. Mammals such as mice and humans have a four-chambered heart, and using the Houston technique, Larin can watch those chambers form.
Optical coherence tomography works on a similar principle to ultrasound. A beam of laser light is sent through the embryo, and when it bounces back it's combined with an interfering reference beam. By examining the effect of the light on the reference beam, it's possible to determine how far it traveled and this information is reconstructed to form an image. The Houston group didn't invent the technique, which is commonly used for clinical imaging of the retina. They adapted existing hardware and software to make them suitable for imaging embryos.
Larin, who presented the imaging technology last week at the Frontiers in Optics Conference in San Jose, CA, says his group is now studying mouse embryos with developmental disorders.

Credit: Kirill Larin

NEWS: Go Deep! VisualSonics Launches the NeuroPak(TM) Deep Brain Imaging System

2009-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/go-deep-visualsonics-launches-the-neuropaktm-deep-brain-imaging-system,1001775.shtml

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- 10/16/09 -- VisualSonics Inc., a leader in real time, in vivo, high-resolution micro imaging systems, today introduced the NeuroPak(TM) Deep Brain Imaging System. NeuroPak(TM) is a novel technology that provides pre-clinical neurology researchers with the capability to image biological and cellular processes in the brains of conscious animals. It works with the Cellvizio® LAB Imaging System, a miniature endoscopic fluorescence microscope, to allow users to repeatedly image a section of a small animal's brain, in real time while the animal is awake and moving freely.

"Our Neuropak(TM) Imaging System allows researchers real time access to tissue, deep in the brain of a conscious animal. Existing research tools limit access to near-surface imaging on sedated animals," said Anil Amlani, Chief Executive Officer of VisualSonics. "Using this new technology, researchers can now determine how the brain reacts to different stimuli in real time."
The NeuroPak(TM) System uses a small implant in the skull of the mouse, placed over the area of interest in the brain, which allows repeated, reproducible insertion of the probe for imaging sessions which can be hours in duration. The CerboFlex(TM) Probe is a special fiber bundle probe designed to fit the implant that is very flexible and lightweight, thus the mouse is free to move around while the fiber probe is in place. The CellVizio LAB is capable of high resolution, real time imaging of fluorescent tissues, cells and markers at micron levels. Based on a robust, patented confocal technology which employs a high resolution fiber bundle, laser scanning unit and sensitive detector optics, the easy-to-use platform allows real-time imaging of microscopic biology inside a living animal.
"NeuroPak(TM) is the first commercially available means to simultaneously image and correlate cellular events in the intact central nervous system with the behavioral responses of laboratory mice," said David Bates, an Application Scientist at VisualSonics. "This imaging technology will enable groundbreaking research in a myriad of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy and addiction."
The technique was developed as part of a research collaboration between scientists at Mauna Kea Technologies and the Institut Pasteur in Paris. VisualSonics is the exclusive global distributor for Mauna Kea Technologies pre-clinical imaging technologies, including the Cellvizio® LAB In Vivo Fiberoptic Fluorescence Microscope, the NeuroPak(TM) Deep Brain Imaging System and the CerboFlex® Deep Brain Imaging Probe.
About VisualSonics
VisualSonics is the world leader in real time, in vivo, high-resolution micro imaging systems designed specifically for preclinical research. The Company's cutting edge technologies allow researchers at the world's most prestigious pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals and universities to conduct research in cardiovascular, cancer, neurobiology and developmental biology areas. The micro imaging technologies support research applications that include genetic research, phenotypic studies and drug development. VisualSonics micro imaging platforms combine high-resolution, real time in vivo imaging at reasonable cost with ease-of-use and quantifiable results.
About Mauna Kea Technologies
Mauna Kea Technologies, a company with a multidisciplinary scientific approach, leads the growing in vivo cellular imaging market with its flagship Cellvizio® system and its cellvizio.net interactive online database. Cellvizio, the world smallest and most flexible microscope, provides real-time dynamic cellular images in vivo and in situ. It enables researchers and physicians in more than 100 prestigious institutions around the world to raise their practice to a higher standard of efficiency, accuracy and cost-effectiveness. The cellvizio.net scientific knowledge interactive database is enabling an international community of leading scientists and physicians to share their ground-breaking work based on Cellvizio in gastroenterology and various fields of science and medicine.
Contacts:
VisualSonics Inc.
Byron Kieser
Director Product Management & Marketing
(416) 484-5000 ext. 5220
(416) 484-5001 (FAX)
Email: bkieser@visualsonics.com
Website: www.visualsonics.com

NEWS: Mauna Kea Technologies Announces Enrollment Completion of Two Multi-Center International GI Endoscopy Clinical Trials With Cellvizio

2009-10-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS106775+19-Oct-2009+GNW20091019

Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:02am EDT

Mauna Kea Technologies Announces Enrollment Completion of Two Multi-Center

International GI Endoscopy Clinical Trials With Cellvizio

PARIS, Oct. 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mauna Kea Technologies announced today

completion of enrollment for two company-sponsored multi-center international

gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy clinical trials using the Cellvizio(R)

probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) system. The "DONT BIOPCE study"

and the "Cellvizio ERCP registry" were designed to evaluate if Cellvizio could

improve diagnostic outcomes and biopsy efficiency in patients with Barrett's

esophagus and those with suspected bile or pancreatic duct cancer, respectively.

Both studies were initiated at the end of 2008 with groups of dedicated, world

renowned clinical investigators from the United States of America (USA), France

and Germany.

"This is a significant achievement and a fantastic clinical milestone for the

company," said Sacha Loiseau, President, CEO and Founder of Mauna Kea

Technologies. "We would like to thank all the physicians, study coordinators and

staff involved in these clinical trials. We met the company's timeline in the

set-up and execution of both studies, and are confident that the data generated

will help us build the path for Cellvizio's wider adoption and routine use in GI

endoscopy."

The "DONT BIOPCE" study (Detection of Neoplastic Tissue in Barrett's Esophagus

with In vivO Probe-based Confocal Endomicroscopy) was a diagnostic, cross-over,

double-blind randomized efficacy study focused on evaluating the diagnostic

accuracy of Cellvizio for Barrett's esophagus surveillance. This study was led

by principal investigator Prof. Prateek Sharma, M.D., from the Veterans Affairs

Hospital in Kansas City, MO, and included four additional sites: two more in the

USA, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL and Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New

York, NY, as well as, Klinikum Rechts der Isar in Munich, Germany and University

Hospital in Nantes, France. Over 100 patients were enrolled in the study. Follow

up in this study continues and the study will be closed out by the end of 2009.

The "Cellvizio ERCP registry" was an observational prospective study in which

data were collected from patients routinely undergoing Endoscopic Retrograde

Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) imaging and tissue sampling procedures for

diagnosing pancreatic and bile duct cancers. A follow up phase of the trial is

now underway. Six hospitals participated in this study: University of Colorado

Hospital in Aurora, CO, with principal investigator Prof. Yang Chen, M.D.;

Klinikum Rechts der Isar in Munich, Germany; Institut Paoli-Calmettes in

Marseille, France; Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston, MA; University of Pittsburgh

Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA and Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York,

NY. A total of 130 patients were enrolled in the study. This study will be

closed out once the follow-up is complete, which is anticipated to be no later

than September 2010.

Preliminary data from both studies will be presented at the Gastro 2009

conference to be held in London from November 21-25, 2009. The principal

investigator of each study will present interim results based on a subset of

these data. Additional results from the studies are expected by the end of the

year.

About Mauna Kea Technologies and Cellvizio

Mauna Kea Technologies believes that in continuously pushing the limits of

observation of life and by helping physicians design new medical references and

guidelines, it can improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs. Its

flagship product, Cellvizio(R), is the world's smallest and most flexible

microscope and the first system designed to provide live, real-time images of

internal human tissues at the cellular level during endoscopic procedures. This

new, advanced imaging technique helps physicians more effectively assess the

tissues of interest and differentiate normal versus abnormal tissues that may be

indicative of cancer, so patients potentially can be treated earlier and may

undergo fewer biopsies. Physicians and thought leaders at more than 60 top

medical institutions around the world have completed over 3,000 of these

procedures an have published more than 25 peer-reviewed papers on the technology

in leading medical journals. Cellvizio has premarket notification 510(k)

clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European

CE-Mark for use in the gastrointestinal and pulmonary tracts. For more

information visit www.maunakeatech.com.

-0-

CONTACT:  Lazar Partners

          Media Contact:

          Erich Sandoval

          805-667-8402

          esandoval@lazarpartners.com

NEWS: Glucose Levels May Be Measured Painlessly with Light in the Eye

2009-10-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8482:glucose-levels-may-be-measured-painlessly-with-light-in-the-eye&catid=53:diabetes-news&Itemid=8

As with all the other companies promising a non-invasive glucose monitor, this technology has little chance for success, except for rabbits.

In pre-clinical trial Freedom Meditech technology successfully tested a new non-invasive technology designed to painlessly measure glucose levels in the human eye which shows promise of one day replacing the finger-stick blood test.

The study, involving rabbits, showed that the eye-scanning technology produced non-invasive, in-vivo glucose measurements that tracked blood glucose readings with only a five minute delay. In addition, through a calibration and validation analysis, the mean absolute percent error for glucose prediction was below 13%, as compared to an estimated 32% error commonly derived from the finger stick blood test. The results of the study were presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society`s 2009 Annual Fall Scientific Meeting. The study was conducted by Anthony J. Webb, Rui Zheng, and Brent D. Cameron of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Toledo, OH.

"We are very encouraged by the results of this early-stage study and plan to move forward with additional animal studies and present the results to the U.S.Food and Drug Administration, in anticipation of human clinical studies," said Craig Misrach, President and CEO of Freedom Meditech. "We believe that the human eye represents an ideal point of access for the monitoring of bodily glucose without the interferences commonly present in other non-invasive glucose measurement approaches.

Freedom Meditech, Inc. is a developmental stage medical device company focused on the commercialization of novel technologies for the management of diabetes. The company is currently developing a patented, non-invasive ocular glucose measurement device that could provide an alternative to the finger prick method of diabetes blood sugar measurement and monitoring. The consumer-ready product is planned to operate like binoculars with light being shined on one eye for less than a second and having a digital glucose reading displayed on the device. The company is also pursuing the commercialization of a non-invasive ophthalmic diabetes screening device for use by eyecare professionals.

Press Release: Freedom Meditech