Photo: ASLMS
Institute Director Thomas Milner was elected to a two-year term on the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) Board of Directors as a representative for Basic Science.
Milner officially assumes the office on Saturday, April 30, 2022, after the Annual Business Meeting held in conjunction with the Annual Conference.
Click here for more information about the ASLMS Board of Directors.
Photo: Frontiers Science News
UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic Founding Director Michael Berns and Assistant Professor Daryl Preece were selected as associate editors on the editorial board of Optics and Photonics, led by Lorenzo Pavesi of University of Trento. As associate editors, Berns and Preece will play a role in the strategic development of their specialty, while editing manuscripts.
The selection was in recognition of a special issue of three Frontiers journals about Optical Trapping (Laser Tweezers) and Nanosurgery (Laser Scissors), which was one of the top-performing collections in the specialty section Optics and Photonics in 2021. The research topic attracted 59,807 views and 13,225 downloads.
Co-editors Halina Rubensztein-Dunlop from the University of Queensland in Australia and Monika Ritsch-Marte from the Medical University, Innsbruck in Austria were also selected as associate editors.
“The success of our special issue is a testament to the high level of interest in the burgeoning field of optics and photonics, and particularly in the sub-specialty area of cellular biophotonics,” stated Berns.
Click here for more information about Frontiers.
Photo: ASLMS
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) selected the abstract, “Virtual Vaginal Biopsy for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause Using Optical Coherence Tomography,” by Afiba Arthur, M.D,. UCI Obstetrician-Gynecologist fellow, for the Best Overall Clinical Research and Innovations (Dr. Richard E. Fitzpatrick) Abstract Award.
The abstract was selected by the Section Chairs at the 2022 ASLMS Annual Conference, to be held April 27-30, 2022 in San Diego, CA. The award is given annually, funded by Candela and includes a $1,000 honoraria.
“This project is a ‘game changer’ in a field which is so highly visible in the public eye,” stated Yona Tadir, M.D., former medical director and adjunct professor, UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic.
“The impact of this project and the OCT/OCT-A [optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiogram] technology which has never been used in women’s health goes far beyond the use of energy-based devices in menopausal medicine,” continued Tadir, “This might be a new, non-invasive monitoring tool in the evaluation of physiologic changes – be it pre- to post-menopausal phase of life, or any kind of vaginal changes following hormonal or energy-based treatment.”
“The tools that are under development and the data collected in this supportive and productive collaborative environment with the clinical arm of the UCI Urogynecology Division of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology is the essence of Beckman Laser Institute,” stated Tadir.
Click here to learn more about the 2022 ASLMS Annual Conference and the Dr. Richard E. Fitzpatrick Clinical Research and Innovations (Best Overall Clinical) Abstract Award.
By Lori Brandt, UCI Samueli School of Engineering
Four UC Irvine biomedical engineering faculty – Elliot Botvinick, Michelle Digman, Chang Liu and Wendy Liu – are among 152 medical and biological engineers who were inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows Class of 2022.
Each was selected for their outstanding contributions in their field. A prestigious professional distinction, the College of Fellows represents the top 2% of medical and biological engineers in the country.
“Induction into AIMBE is a well-deserved honor for these faculty, two of whom are also members of the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center (CIRC),” said Naomi Chesler, director of the CIRC and an Inclusive Excellence Professor of biomedical engineering, who nominated all four. “It is both a recognition of their research accomplishments and impact to date and an opportunity to contribute to biomedical science policy and public understanding of biomedical science and engineering on a larger stage.”
Professor Botvinick was recognized for work in biophotonics and its use in medical devices and the study of biophysics in cell-tissue interactions. In his research, Botvinick studies the relationship between mechanical stresses on cells and molecular signaling or mechanotransduction.
“I am honored to become an AIMBE fellow,” he said. “I will continue to devote my life to improving our understanding of how cells sense tissues and to develop new technologies to aid in the treatment of diabetes. As an AIMBE fellow, I will embark on the next chapter of my career, which is to invent, develop, test and commercialize unprofitable medical devices for underserved groups, particularly in pediatrics. And more importantly, to build and share the resources for other scientists to do the same.”
Associate Professor Digman was acknowledged for her contributions to the development of and applications to fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Digman’s research focuses on quantitative spatial and temporal correlation spectroscopy, protein dynamics during cell migration, characterizing metabolic alterations in cells and tissues, and developing novel imaging technologies.
“I am honored to join my colleagues as an AIMBE fellow,” said Digman. “I want to thank my past and present group members, as well as collaborators for making so many things possible during this research journey. I’m also excited to support AIMBE’s mission of advocacy in the field of biomedical engineering. In addition, I want to thank Naomi Chesler, who was vital in all of our nominations, for her support and efforts in contributing to enhancing equity in our department.”
The AIMBE selected Chang Liu, associate professor, for his efforts in the fields of synthetic biology and directed evolution through the invention of in vivo hypermutation systems. He engineers specialized genetic systems that continuously and rapidly mutate user-selected genes in vivo. These systems allow researchers to evolve proteins at unprecedented speed, scale and depth in order to engineer new protein functions, probe the rules of evolution and understand the fundamental sequence-function relationships governing proteins and other macromolecules.
“I am delighted to be elected into the fellowship and look forward to fruitful interactions and endeavors with other members,” said Liu.
Professor Wendy Liu was recognized for contributions and service to the cell and tissue engineering community and advancing the field of immune cell mechanobiology. She uses bioengineering approaches to understand how the microenvironment regulates immune cell plasticity and immune-mediated wound healing. She is studying macrophages, innate immune cells that adopt a spectrum of functional phenotypes depending on their context and play a major role in wound healing and disease.
“I am honored and excited to receive this recognition from AIMBE,” she said. “I am also extremely grateful for the wonderful colleagues at UCI who have provided a supportive environment, and all of my collaborators and students who have contributed to our work.”
AIMBE’s mission is to recognize excellence, advance public understanding, and accelerate medical and biological innovation. Its College of Fellows includes over 1,500 honorees who work in academia, industry, clinical practice and government. The formal induction ceremony will be held during AIMBE’s 2022 Annual Event on March 25.
Read more on the UCI Samueli School of Engineering website.
Photo: Paul Kennedy
Michael Berns, cofounder and founding director of the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic and a professor of biomedical engineering, surgery, and developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), is widely known as the “the father of laser microbeams,” thanks, in part, to his seminal work delineating how the laser can perform subcellular surgery on chromosomes. With an overarching approach that focuses on light interactions with cells and tissues, his research works to address biomedical problems such as nervous-system repair at single-cell level, a laser-leveraging technique that extends to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s. Among other roles, Berns oversees Beckman’s Cellular Biophotonics Laboratory, as well as serving as the director of the recently established Michael and Robert Berns Laser Microbeam Program.
Berns’ many recognitions include being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom in 2021. He is a Fellow of the British Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science as well as being an SPIE Fellow. In 1994, he received the UCI medal, the highest honor awarded at UCI; in 2006, he received the SPIE Biomedical Optics Lifetime Achievement Award. He currently sits on the editorial board of the SPIE Journal of Biomedical Optics.
“Michael Berns’ work over several decades has set the international benchmark for the particular use of the laser for various studies in biomedicine,” says University of St. Andrews’ School of Physics and Astronomy Professor Kishan Dholakia. “He has consistently performed and delivered breakthrough science that has stood the test of time, and is, quite simply, a highly prolific and agenda-setting international scientist of the highest quality. I have been most impressed with his passion and rigor at scientific meetings which is an inspiration to audiences, and key to his success in teaching, training, and mentoring young researchers. In addition, the strategic value and impact of Berns’ work with regard to international science has been outstanding. The collaboration of his group at UCI with Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop and her group at the University of Queensland, for example, has led to an exceptional and prolific union of two of the leading photonics laboratories in the world. The complementary partnership has led to very exciting and highly productive trans-Pacific interdisciplinary research. The impact of Berns’ own work and that with collaborators supports the future of the field through the training and exchange of graduate students and post-docs.
Click here for the full SPIE article.
Institute Director Thomas Milner, an investigator in the field of laser-based medical devices and a
pioneer in optical imaging of tissue, received a $75,000 award from the Developmental Research
Program (DRP) of the Developmental and Hyperactive Ras Tumor (DHART) SPORE. The study focuses on
the early detection and treatment of cutaneous neurofibroma (cNF), imaging cNF at the earliest stages
of development for improved detection and treatment. The study has substantial translational
implications for treating cNF tumors, potentially allowing intervention at an early point of development
of cNF.
With a worldwide incidence of 1 in 3000, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most common inherited
cancer predisposition syndrome and the founding member of a group of developmental disorders that
are collectively termed “Rasopathies.” Clinical manifestations of NF1 include pigmented skin lesions,
skeletal dysplasia, learning disabilities, and an increased risk of developing specific neoplastic diseases
that progress to aggressive cancers. These premalignant and malignant tumors frequently affect
children, adolescents and young adults.
Collectively, the tumors that develop in NF1 patients are a substantial cause of morbidity and premature
mortality. In addition to its role as an initiating mutation in NF1-associated cancers, recent genome-wide
sequencing studies uncovered frequent somatic NF1 mutations in glioblastoma (GBM), acute myeloid
leukemia (AML), melanoma, lung adenocarcinoma and other sporadic cancers.
With the study, Milner and his research team offer a new and innovative area of focus as no other
studies such as this exist. Early intervention for various benign and potentially malignant tumors or
conditions for NF1 patients is important, as trying to manage these conditions is far more challenging
after they have been established.
The Developmental and Hyperactive Ras Tumor (DHART) SPORE was funded in 2015 with the goal of
implementing effective targeted molecular therapies for neoplasms and cancers characterized by NF1
mutations. The DRP project is funded by a generous commitment to the DHART SPORE by the
Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP).
Click here for more information about DHART SPORE.
UCI Beckman Laser Institute’s Zhongping Chen has been awarded a three-year $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Biomedical Engineering (NIBIB) to develop an imaging probe to monitor and manage vaginal health.
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) affects up to 50% of women and negatively affects their quality of life with regard to general health and sexual function. Hormone therapy is the most commonly performed procedure to supplement the natural estrogen, however there are health risks associated with long-term therapy.
Recently, an alternative therapy has been proposed using fractional CO2 microablation that may benefit patients that cannot receive hormone therapies. Although laser microablation showed a clear benefit in dermatology, it remains controversial in female pelvic medicine. The main problem is that, without a clear indication to routinely perform an invasive biopsy for benign genitourinary changes, the pathophysiology of tissue response and factors leading to refractory symptoms remain poorly understood. This area of research would greatly benefit from non-invasive imaging technologies such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).
The long-term goal of Chen’s study is to provide individualized patient management by screening patients who will benefit the most from laser therapy, optimize the laser duration and dose and assess the need for follow-up care. To achieve this goal, Chen and UCI’s Felicia Lane will develop a point-of-care endoscopic imaging system that combines OCT and OCT angiogram (OCTA) to obtain simultaneous information on structural and functional changes during vaginal laser treatment.
The endoscopic OCT/OCTA system will serve as a noninvasive biopsy tool in the gynecological practice and it can, noninvasively, provide structural and functional information about the tissue. This will provide clinicians and scientists with an important tool to screening the patients that will benefit from the laser, monitor the progression of laser therapy, and evaluate the tissue response from the laser treatment and further individualize treatment strategies. The research is expected to have a significant impact on image-guided laser therapy and the management of GSM.
By Photonics World
SPIE has announced that its 2022 SPIE Gold Medal winner is Michael Berns, co-founder and founding director of the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic and a professor of biomedical engineering, surgery, and developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine.
The SPIE Gold Medal is the highest honor the Society bestows. It is awarded in recognition of outstanding engineering or scientific accomplishments in optics, photonics, electro-optics, or imaging technologies and applications.
Berns is widely known as the “the father of laser microbeams,” due, in part, to his seminal work delineating how the laser can perform subcellular surgery on chromosomes. With an overarching approach that focuses on light interactions with cells and tissues, his research works to address biomedical problems such as nervous-system repair at single-cell level, a laser-leveraging technique that extends to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s.
Multiple roles and recognitions
Among other roles, Berns oversees Beckman’s Cellular Biophotonics Laboratory, as well as serving as the director of the recently established Michael and Robert Berns Laser Microbeam Program.
Berns’ many recognitions include being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the UK in 2021. He is a Fellow of the British Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science as well as being an SPIE Fellow.
In 1994, he received the UCI medal, the highest honor awarded at UCI; in 2006, he received the SPIE Biomedical Optics Lifetime Achievement Award. He currently sits on the editorial board of the SPIE Journal of Biomedical Optics.
“Michael Berns’ work over several decades has set the international benchmark for the particular use of the laser for various studies in biomedicine,” says University of St. Andrews’ School of Physics and Astronomy Professor Kishan Dholakia.
“He has consistently performed and delivered breakthrough science that has stood the test of time, and is, quite simply, a highly prolific and agenda-setting international scientist of the highest quality. I have been most impressed with his passion and rigor at scientific meetings, which is an inspiration to audiences, and key to his success in teaching, training, and mentoring young researchers.
“In addition, the strategic value and impact of Berns’ work with regard to international science has been outstanding. The collaboration of his group at UCI with Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop and her group at the University of Queensland, for example, has led to an exceptional and prolific union of two of the leading photonics laboratories in the world.
“The complementary partnership has led to very exciting and highly productive trans-Pacific interdisciplinary research. The impact of Berns’ own work and that with collaborators supports the future of the field through the training and exchange of graduate students and post-docs.”
Read full article on optics.org.
Photo by: UCI News
A team led by University of California, Irvine researchers has developed a new biopsy technology that can profile multiple tumor microenvironment biomarkers simultaneously, revealing cellular spatial organization and interactions that will help advance personalized disease diagnosis and treatment. Current single-biomarker biopsies lack the ability to analyze many different markers and often fail to predict patient outcomes.
Called the Multi Omic Single-scan Assay with Integrated Combinatorial Analysis, the fluorescence imaging-based technology can spatially profile a large number of mRNA and protein markers in cells and tissues, including clinical tumor tissues. A study published today in Nature Communications shows that MOSAICA enables direct, highly multiplexed biomarker profiling in a 3D spatial context using a single round of staining and imaging instead of the repeated processing steps typically needed in conventional methods.
Clinicians and scientists will now have a holistic view of the different immune and cancer cell types in tumor tissues, providing greater insight for determining patient prognosis and treatment.
“Spatial biology is a new science frontier and mapping out each cell and its function in the body at both the molecular and tissue level is fundamental to understanding disease and developing precision diagnostics and therapeutics,” said Weian Zhao, Ph.D., UCI professor of pharmaceutical sciences and study co-corresponding author. “Many cancer immunotherapeutics, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, don’t work and scientists realized that was because of the spatial organization of all the tumor tissue cell types, which dictates drug efficacy. The MOSAICA can characterize the spatial cellular compositions and interactions in the tumor immune microenvironment in biopsies to inform personalized diagnosis and treatment.”
Click here to read the full article on the UCI News website.
UCI Health is home to 188 doctors who have been named 2022 Physicians of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association, more than any other hospital in the region.
This prestigious honor, announced in the January 2022 issue of Orange Coast magazine, is bestowed by the volunteer physician organization as part of its mission to promote the art and science of medicine, the protection of public health and the betterment of the medical profession.
The complete list includes more than 740 Orange County physicians in more than 65 specialties. The magazine is on newsstands now.
“UCI Health physicians are unparalleled in their dedication to our patients and community,” said UCI Health CEO Chad T. Lefteris. “From providing world-class care to advancing clinical innovations, no other healthcare system in the region has as many physicians at the top of their specialty in both the hospital and outpatient settings.”
The issue’s cover features Dr. José Mayorga, executive director of UCI Health Family Health Centers, for his work educating the community about important health topics such as COVID-19 and vaccinations.
Also featured in the issue is a UCI Health patient who was diagnosed with lymphoma — a type of cancer that affects the body’s white blood cells, a crucial part of the immune system — and received life-saving care from the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
This year, UCI Health received its 15th consecutive “A” grade for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group and was listed among America’s Best Hospitals for the 21st year in a row by U.S. News & World Report. The report highlights the excellence of UCI Health programs in gynecology, No. 24 and geriatrics, No. 44, among similar programs nationally. The medical center is ranked No. 8 in the Los Angeles metropolitan region.
UCI Health doctors practice across the region. In addition to UCI Medical Center in Orange, primary and specialty care locations include Gottschalk Medical Plaza in Irvine and offices in Costa Mesa, Laguna Hills, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Tustin and Yorba Linda.
In coastal Orange County, UCI Health specialty care in cancer, breast health, digestive diseases, plastic surgery, neurosurgery and dermatology is available in Costa Mesa. Urology, executive health, behavioral health and sleep medicine services are available at the UCI Health Newport — Birch Street. And integrative services in cardiology, gastroenterology, pain management, dermatology, sports medicine and plastic surgery are offered at UCI Health — Newport Beach.
To be eligible for OCMA recognition, physicians are required to:
Physicians were required to demonstrate achievements in at least two of the following criteria: physician leadership; teaching/mentoring; medical research/scientific advances; and humanitarian service.
The following UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic faculty received this prestigious honor:
Dermatology
Kristen M. Kelly, MD
Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Brian J.F. Wong, MD
Neurology
Yama Akbari, MD
Mark J. Fisher, MD
Click here for the full article.