Medical Imaging and Clinical Research

In order to see the bench-to-bedside dream of translational research become a reality, we need to develop imaging approaches

that is technologically sophisticated, allow deployment into a clinical setting. Multimodality imaging is gaining adoption, but

the bio-photonic component is absent or un-sophisticated. Our focus area is where light and patient meet, and improvements

that yield better outcomes, by identifying/addressing the obstacles preventing timely clinical adoption of laboratory-based

advances, not the least of which is the difficulty of detecting, characterizing and monitoring very small entities (molecules,

cells) within the human body, especially quantitatively, dynamically, and preferably without contrast agents. How and where

we look becomes critically important, especially if one targets (as one should) early diagnosis; for this, new tools and strategies

are needed, with likely new outcomes. We proposed and implemented an optical multimode approach to biomedical optical

imaging at all levels, featuring hyperspectral imaging, and optimized for earlier, more quantitative/reproducible detection of

abnormalities and a tighter spatio-temporal coupling between such diagnosis and intervention. Addressing major areas of

unmet need in the clinical realm with these new approaches should yield important improvements in disease management.

Our work on cancer, stem cells, vascular and neuro (specifically highlighting very early detection of Alzheimer’s disease)

applications will be described, with emphasis on the new technologies needed to achieve the desired imaging performance.

Thoughts about better ways for academia, the clinical and the corporate world to work together for innovative imaging solutions

and their use for addressing major disease will be briefly outlined.