December 2007: New Expertise at the FUSF and more...

Published:
Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation
In This Issue: Vol 9
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Dear Subscriber,
Welcome to this month's issue of the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation newsletter, offering the latest developments in focused ultrasound as well as news of the Foundation and its programs. 

The FUSF Newsletter is changing it's format!  Our Newsletter is moving to a quarterly format that has expanded features, more in-depth coverage, and should appeal to a wider audience. Look for it in mid-January.

Also, the FUSF needs your input!  Please fill out our short online survey to allow us to better serve the needs of the MRgFUS community.  More information below.

 

New Expertise at the FUS Foundation
In our continuing commitment to advance the field of MRgFUS, the Foundation has brought additional expertise to bear in our organization.

Daniel P. Jordan, Ph.D. Joins the FUSF Board of Directors
Dr. Jordan, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience to the FUSF board. “We are thrilled to add such a well-respected and talented individual such as Dr. Jordan to our Board of Directors,” said Neal F. Kassell, M.D., Founder and Chairman of the Foundation. “Dr. Jordan’s recognized expertise in the stewardship of a highly visible nonprofit will be invaluable to us as we grow as an organization and work towards our goal of shortening the time between the development of this MR-guided focused ultrasound technology and its widespread clinical use.”

Rolf Taylor Joins as FUSF Director of Communications
Rolf Taylor has over 15 years experience working in the healthcare sector, primarily in communications consultancy, business development, medical education, medical marketing and pharmaceutical sales. Rolf will be serving MRgFUS community by facilitating communication between patients, physicians, and researchers and several new initiatives such as research program planning groups (RPPGs), a patient support organization, and a trade association.

Neal F. Kassell, M.D. Elected Foundation Chairman
Dr. Kassell, founder of the FUSF, has been elected Chairman by the Board of Directors. Dr. Kassell is a Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Virginia, where he served as department co-chair until June of 2006. He has published over 450 scientific papers, been involved with numerous entrepreneurial ventures, serves on the editorial board of the journals Neurosurgery and Stroke and has been a recipient of the McKenzie Memorial Award of the Canadian Neurosurgical Society and the Grass Award of the Society of Neurological Surgeons.
New NIH Grant Unveiled for Ultrasound Therapy Technologies
The NIH has initiated a new grant to fund research in innovative ultrasound therapy technologies, including high intensity focused ultrasound.

"The primary goal of this initiative is to develop and accelerate the implementation of innovative, disruptive, non-invasive or minimally invasive ultrasound technologies that produce or enhance interventional therapies in humans. Research projects must focus on the solution of critical basic and/or technical problems that presently exist, and that have previously prevented these technologies from being implemented as safe and effective clinical therapies in humans.

This initiative is for a five-year award for applicant organizations that propose to develop disruptive ultrasound technologies that lead to implementation of safe and effective therapies. A disruptive technology is one that displaces existing dominant technology, due to its clear advantage(s) over previous technologies. This initiative encourages multidisciplinary collaborations and partnerships with industry."

Total funding for the grants is anticipated to be approximately $5 million with up to 10 research proposals receiving funding in FY 2008.  Application deadline for the grant is January 23rd, 2008.

For more information on the grant, please visit the NIH application site.
Survey Feedback Needed for New FUSF Initiatives

The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation is exploring several initiatives to develop new applications, accelerate the worldwide adoption of MRgFUS, and compress the time between technology development and the treatment of patients.

As an active participant in the MRgFUS community, the Foundation would like your feedback. We are conducting an online survey to help us define the needs and goals for the following projects: Patient Registry, Trade Association, and Patient Support Organization (PSO).

The survey should take you no longer than 3-5 minutes to fill out, and the data captured will allow the Foundation to better serve the needs of the MRgFUS community.

Click here to take the survey
MRgFUS News
New Duke ExAblate Center Opened
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University has recently opened its MRgFUS treatment facility for the treatment of uterine fibroids. 

InSightec Selected by World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer
InSightec, makers of the MRgFUS ExAblate system, was selected by the World Economic Forum as one of its Technology Pioneers for 2008 from a pool of 273 nominees.
Featured Papers
Methods of Organ Motion Tracking During MRgFUS Treatment
Two of the featured papers this month involve methods of tracking the motion of organs while undergoing an MRgFUS treatment caused by respiration and patient movement.  Summaries can be found on our blog here and here.
 
We are always looking for new content of interest to the FUS community, so if you know of any relevant stories that we should be covering, please contact us at news@fusfoundation.org.
Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation | 230 Court Square, Suite 202 | Charlottesville | VA | 22902