Medical Engineering Distinguished Seminar, Samuel Achilefu
Precision in detecting and treating cancer is critical to prevent relapse. Our approach integrates two light-based paradigms. The first enhances intraoperative accuracy using tumor-targeted molecular probes and a near-infrared fluorescence imaging device integrated into head-mounted displays, enabling real-time visualization of tumors and sentinel lymph nodes. The second employs radionuclide-stimulated dynamic therapy, where Cerenkov radiating radioisotopes activate photosensitizers, generating cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that inhibit both primary and metastatic lesions. Combined, these strategies refine surgical precision and expand therapeutic capabilities for comprehensive and effective cancer management.
Biography: Dr. Samuel Achilefu is a professor and the inaugural chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) in Dallas, where he holds the Lyda Hill Distinguished University Chair. He also serves as a professor in the Department of Radiology and the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Before joining UTSW in February 2022, Dr. Achilefu spent over two decades at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was the Michel M. Ter-Pogossian Professor of Radiology and professor in the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Medicine, and Biochemistry & Biophysics.
An international leader in optical and multimodal imaging as well as cancer treatment, Dr. Achilefu's research spans image-guided cancer surgery, portable imaging devices, nanotechnology, and the development of novel contrast agents for biomedical applications. Through a multidisciplinary team of investigators, he has guided multiple research endeavors from concept to clinic, launching start-up companies to commercialize his innovative products.
Dr. Achilefu is a highly productive researcher and prolific inventor with more than 300 published scientific articles and over 70 issued U.S. patents. His contributions to science and engineering have been recognized by his election to the National Academy of Medicine and as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He also serves on the SPIE Board of Directors and has been a member of the National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
A recipient of more than 20 national and international honors and awards for research excellence and leadership, Dr. Achilefu was the first to receive the Distinguished Investigator Award from the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. His honors also include the Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award and the St. Louis Award, among others.
Dr. Achilefu is an elected Fellow of numerous prestigious professional societies, including the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, SPIE, Optica (formerly OSA), the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Medicine. He is also a chartered scientist (UK). His enduring commitment to scientific innovation and translational research continues to shape the future of molecular imaging, biomedical engineering, and cancer treatment worldwide.
https://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/209730/samuel-achilefu.html