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Meeting Report: In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging Gordon Research Conference (2024)

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Key Points The Focused Ultrasound Foundation sponsored the second Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging, which was held August 25–30 in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.  Researchers highlighted diverse applications of focused ultrasound, including neuromodulation, sonogenetics, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine.  The theme of the 2024 In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging GRC meeting, held every two years, was “Advances in Translational Applications of Imaging in Disease Diagnosis, Staging and Therapy.” The meeting presented the latest developments in both therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound technologies and was designed to foster collaboration between scientists of all career levels. Set at a remote resort in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, it featured ample time for discussion. Focused ultrasound was featured prominently in sessions on neuromodulation, sonogenetics, immunotherapy, and ultrasound therapy.   “This was a truly fabulous meeting, offering great opportunities for faculty and trainees alike to network and develop new collaborations in a relaxed environment,” said invited speaker Natasha Sheybani, PhD, of the University of Virginia. “Topics at the meeting spanned ultrasound imaging and therapy, with an outstanding line-up of talks that gave way to provocative and enriching scientific discussions.”  Focused Ultrasound Presentations  Neuromodulation Session led by Charles Caskey, Vanderbilt University  Ultrasonic Neuromodulation in Humans by Lennart Verhagen, Radboud University  Bringing Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation into Focus by Kim Butts Pauly, Stanford University  Biomolecular Ultrasound for Imaging and Control of Cellular Function by Mikhail Shapiro, California Institute of Technology  Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy in Immunotherapy Session led by Tatiana Khoklova, University of Washington  Imaging and Control of Immune Cell Trafficking and Function with Ultrasound by Costas Arvanitis, Georgia Institute of Technology  Ultrasound for Immuno-Modulation and Immunotherapy Delivery in Solid Cancers by Natasha Sheybani, University of Virginia  Ultrasound Control of Genetics and Epigenetics for Cell Therapy by Peter Yingxiao Wang, University of Southern California  Ultrasound Therapy Session led by Hong Chen, Washington University in St. Louis Microenvironmental Cues in Ultrasound-Responsive Hydrogel Composites Drives Tissue Regeneration by Mario Fabiilli, University of Michigan  Image-Guided Focused Ultrasound Therapy for Diseased and Aging Brains by Tao Sun, Northeastern University  Focused Ultrasound Posters  Ultrasound-Mediated Gene Therapy: Pre-Sensitization to Cure by Anubhuti Bhalotia, Case Western Reserve University  Ultrasound-Guided Selective Occlusion of Uteroplacental Blood Vessels in the Mouse Alters Fetal and Placental Development by Sarah Debebe, Hospital for Sick Children  Comparing the Delivery of Free and Liposomal Doxorubicin Across the Blood-Brain Barrier with Focused Ultrasound by Stecia-Marie Fletcher, Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School  In Vivo Two-Photon Microscopy Imaging of Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Glymphatic Transport in the Mouse Brain by Yan Gong, Washington University in St. Louis  Automated Tumor and FUS Lesion Quantification on a Multi-Frequency Harmonic Motion and B-Mode Imaging Using Multi-Modality Neural Networks by Shiqi Hu, Columbia University  Acoustofluidic Delivery of Biomolecules to T Cells: A Novel Approach for Production of Immunotherapies by Jonathan Kopechek, University of Louisville  Detection of Tumor Stiffness and Vasculature Changes Using Harmonic Motion Imaging and Ultrasound Localization Microscopy Following Contrast-Enhanced Power-Doppler-Guided Sonoporation by Yangpei Liu, Columbia University  Transparent Ultrasound Transducer Platform Enables Multimodal In Vitro and In Vivo Investigations of Ultrasound Neuromodulation by Shubham Mirg, Columbia University  TRPC6 Is a Mechanosensitive Channel Essential for Ultrasound Neuromodulation in Mammalian Brain by Yuichi Takeuchi, Kindai University  Ultrasound Programmable Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks for Sono-Chemogenetics by Huiliang Wang, University of Texas at Austin  Search the Meeting Program 
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Meeting Report: NYC Neuromodulation Conference (2024)

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Key Points The fifth NYC Neuromodulation Conference was held July 31 – August 4, 2024 in New York City.  Fourteen presentations and posters showcased focused ultrasound neuromodulation.  BrainSonix sponsored a workshop on transcranial focused ultrasound.  The 2024 NYC Neuromodulation Conference took place July 31 – August 4 at the City College of New York. The meeting brought together hundreds of researchers, clinicians, and engineers to discuss the latest clinical findings and technical advances in neuromodulation.    Focused ultrasound was discussed in three invited talks and five posters chosen for oral highlights. In addition, a special session titled “Brain, spine, and bioelectric ultrasound” featured four focused ultrasound talks. Two more posters included focused ultrasound research as well. The research presented covered various applications of focused ultrasound neuromodulation including pain, depression, immune modulation, and pulmonary hypertension.  Focused Ultrasound Presentations  Precision neuromodulation of autonomic circuits presented by Stavros Zanos, MD, PhD  Vagus nerve modulation of a B cell response to antigen presented by Betty Diamond, MD  Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS) enhances bio-integration of microelectrodes presented by Takashi Koza, PhD  Why transcranial ultrasound? presented by Vince Clark, PhD  Transcranial focused ultrasound – cell-type selectivity and capability to enable bidirectional BCI presented by Bin He, PhD  Ultrasound for inflammation and pain presented by Stavros Zanos, MD  Focused ultrasound neuromodulation of cortical and subcortical brain structures presented by Elisa Konofagou, PhD  Trans-spinal low-intensity focused ultrasound neuromodulation for the treatment of chronic pain presented by Weiguo Song  Functional ultrasound (fUS) reveals neurovascular response coupled with motor response evoked by focused ultrasound (FUS) neuromodulation in mice   presented by Seongyeon Kim  Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS) modulates microglial activation following intracortical microelectrode implantation presented by Vanshika Singh  Noninvasive deep brain stimulation presented by Jan Kubanek  Focused ultrasound neuromodulation of the spleen ameliorates experimental pulmonary hypertension by specific alterations of immune cell populations in the blood and lungs presented by Alexandra Bekiaridou  Focused Ultrasound Posters  Characterization of ultrasound neuromodulation using an in vitro neuroglial model presented by Laura Nuttin  Safety and tolerability of repetitive low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a patient with reatment-refractory depression: a first-case report presented by Gustavo dos Santos Alves Maria  Industry Participation  BrainSonix sponsored a Morning Workshop, titled “Getting started with tFUS, from the basics to common challenges.”  Search the Meeting Program  Sign up to receive notifications about On-Demand Conference Content  
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Meeting Report: Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2024

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Key Points AAIC 2024 was held in Philadelphia from July 28–August 1.  Researchers from Columbia University presented a talk and a poster.  More than 8,000 members of the Alzheimer’s Association scientific community gathered in Philadelphia – plus an additional 4,000 virtually – for AAIC 2024. The meeting was held from July 28 through August 1, and it is widely attended by clinicians and industry professionals because it has a clinical focus.  The focused ultrasound research group at Columbia University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering that is led by Elisa Konofagou, PhD, presented a talk and a poster at the meeting. Rebecca Noel, PhD, Daniella Jimenez, MS, and Amy Shteyman (a third-year medical student at Columbia) all attended AAIC from Dr. Konofagou’s laboratory.  The presentation described some of the group’s preclinical studies on gene expression in the hippocampus after delivering a compound across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with focused ultrasound. In one set of experiments, the focused ultrasound treatment group showed significant improvements in gene expression levels, particularly in pathways related to amyloid beta clearance, metabolism, and neurogenesis, as compared with healthy controls.  “My talk generated significant interest, particularly regarding the effects of amyloid-related-imaging-abnormalities (or ‘ARIA’) in ongoing clinical trials,” said Dr. Noel. “After the session, several members of the audience approached me with questions about focused ultrasound projects and potential collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. Many of the attendees had never heard about focused ultrasound, so it was exciting to be the one to introduce them to our technology!”  “The meeting was exciting, but it was clear that focused ultrasound is novel for the attendees,” added Ms. Jimenez. “So it would be good to have a larger presence from our community in the future.”  “When I learned about Dr. Konofagou,’s research, I could tell it was the future of medicine…so I wanted to be involved,” said Ms. Shteyman. “My poster highlighted my project looking at the effects of focused ultrasound on gene expression in healthy neurons and in neurons from an Alzheimer’s disease model.”  Drug Discovery and Delivery Session Presentation  Preliminary Evidence for the Combined Efficacy of Focused Ultrasound Blood-Brain Barrier Opening and Delivery of a Novel Anti-Amyloid Re Complex for Memory Improvement in a 3xTg-Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model by Rebecca L Noel, MS, Samantha L Gorman, BS, Alec J Batts, MS, Despoina Tsakri, MD, Daniella A Jimenez, MS, Maria Pelecanou, PhD, Marina Sagnou, PhD, and Elisa E Konofagou, PhD from Columbia University, New York, NY, USA, and the National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos,” Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece  Poster  Characterizing the Effects of Focused Ultrasound Therapy in Healthy and Alzheimer’s Disease Neurons by Amy Shteyman, Rebecca L Noel, MS, and Elisa E Konofagou, PhD, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA  The Foundation thanks the Columbia research team for assistance with this meeting report.  Search the AAIC Meeting Program  
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UK Event Raises Awareness for Focused Ultrasound in Pediatrics

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Key Points Three leading experts discussed focused ultrasound research for critically ill infants and children.  The event was hosted by the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation, an organization that aims to advance the technology in the region.   Left to Right: Prof. ter Haar, Prof. Davidson, and Prof. Saffari On November 19, the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation (UK FUSF) hosted an awareness event, called “Saving Children’s Lives with Sound,” to advance focused ultrasound research for critically ill infants and children. The event, held at the Cavalry and Guards Club in London, featured a fireside chat of experts, including: Professor Gail ter HaarLeader of the Therapeutic Ultrasound Group, Institute for Cancer Research Professor Brian DavidsonHepatobiliary & Liver Transplant Surgeon, Royal FreeProfessor of Surgery, University College London Professor Nader SaffariProfessor of Ultrasonics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London Attendees learned how noninvasive focused ultrasound is transforming treatment for pediatric indications, including childhood genetic metabolic disease and a clinical trial for twin-twin transfusion syndrome, an often fatal disease affecting identical twins. The group also discussed early research using focused ultrasound plus immunotherapy to treat pediatric neuroblastoma. The event also served as the perfect venue to present Professor Wladslaw Gedroyc, a consultant radiologist at St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College National Health Service (NHS) Trust, with the Foundation’s 2024 Clinical Adoption Award. Prof. Gedroyc has been a champion of focused ultrasound for more than 20 years and has treated more than 800 patients with the technology.  “The UK FUSF greatly appreciates the interest in and support of research for these life-changing and rapidly evolving technologies,” said Philip Keevil, Chairman of the UK FUSF. Last year, the UK FUSF formally launched its operations to advance the development and adoption of focused ultrasound in the United Kingdom. The Foundation aims to promote collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and leaders in the health field; raise awareness about this groundbreaking, rapidly evolving technology; and make noninvasive treatment more accessible to the public. Learn more about UK FUSF
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Focused Ultrasound Featured in NIH’s Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds

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Key Points Focused ultrasound was the topic of the November 12 Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  NIH Clinical Center Senior Scientist, Scott Burks, PhD, and Suzanne LeBlang, MD, the Foundation’s director of clinical relationships presented the latest research.  The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), holds Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds each week. The format for the lecture series is a 30-minute case study presentation followed by a 60-minute main lecture. Attendees may join in person on the NIH campus (Building 10, Lipsett Amphitheatre), which includes a pre-lecture networking coffee session, or join virtually via Zoom.  The November 12 Grand Rounds featured focused ultrasound research as the main topic. Suzanne LeBlang, MD, the Foundation’s Director of Clinical Relationships, led off the morning by presenting the state of the field for focused ultrasound and Alzheimer’s disease. Her talk provided an overview of research that has been done using focused ultrasound for either neuromodulation or blood-brain barrier opening (BBBO). Focused ultrasound BBBO allows the body’s immune system – either with or without enhanced drug delivery – to reach the brain and decrease the amount of amyloid.  As a case example, Dr. LeBlang highlighted a patient reported in the 2024 New England Journal of Medicine article by Rezai, et al. where the side of the brain that received focused ultrasound after infusion of anti-amyloid antibodies had a significant decrease in amyloid compared with the side that did not receive the focused ultrasound sonications. In addition, she presented research from another mechanism of action, focused ultrasound neuromodulation (without BBBO), that resulted in decreased amyloid and cognitive improvement across various preclinical and clinical studies.  Scott Burks, PhD, a senior scientist at the NIH Clinical Center, then presented his lecture titled, “The Neuroinflammatory Consequences of Blood-Brain Barrier Opening.” His talk shared the latest translational research investigating the mechanistic biology of ultrasound-tissue interactions. He also described his research on the sterile inflammatory response in the brain after focused ultrasound and how immune cells react to BBBO. His work centers around designing novel clinical applications for focused ultrasound.  Both presentations are now available on the Foundation’s YouTube Channel.  “This program was an exciting opportunity to share the latest clinical research with focused ultrasound and Alzheimer’s disease. Much of the translational work has been made possible by the seminal research performed by Dr. Burks and his colleagues. The entire program generated a lot of interest and great questions,” said Dr. LeBlang.  For More Information on Focused Ultrasound for Alzheimer’s Disease In her presentation, Dr. LeBlang shared a recent review paper by Nadiyeh Rouhi et al. titled “A comprehensive review of advanced focused ultrasound (FUS) microbubbles-mediated treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”  Read More About NINDS’ Clinical Neurosciences Grand Rounds  Watch the Recording 
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