Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University
Problem-based research shortens the pathway to to clinical translation of light-based technologies
Abstract
Medicine is a problem rich environment where there is a critical need for new solutions that ease the life of the patient, the physician and the caregiving staff. For at least some of these problems, biophotonics could well be the answer! Optical techniques can be used to provide real-time assessment for screening, diagnosis, monitoring and guidance of therapy. In this presentation – I will discuss 2-3 different medical challenges and the optical solution that was developed and implemented in a clinical setting. These examples include the application of near infrared fluorescence imaging for the anatomical detection of the parathyroid gland during endocrine surgery and in vivo biochemical characterization of the pregnant human cervix towards understanding preterm birth.
Biography
Dr. Mahadevan-Jansen translates optical techniques for clinical detection of tissue physiology and pathology. Her primary research at the Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center, is to investigate the applications of optical spectroscopies and imaging for disease diagnosis and guidance of therapy. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Physics from the University of Bombay (Mumbai), India, and a master’s and PhD degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She joined the Vanderbilt engineering faculty in 1996. She is currently the Orrin H. Ingram Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University and holds a secondary appointment in the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Otolaryngology. She is the founding Director of the Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center, the Director of the Vanderbilt branch of the Center for Integration of Research in Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), an NSF funded 46-institution center as well as Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
She is currently on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) and is a fellow of SPIE, Optical Society of America (OSA) as well as the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
For more information or to schedule a meeting with the speaker, please contact Hanna Kim.
Hosted by Dr. Matt Brenner
