September 2018 - Online Course on Therapeutic Ultrasound and more…

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September 2018

Therapeutic Ultrasound Course (MOOC) Now Available Online

 
The Laboratory of Therapeutic Applications of Ultrasound (LabTAU) – in collaboration with the Foundation – recently launched the first presentation in its Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) dedicated to therapeutic ultrasound. MOOCs are free online courses that provide a flexible way to learn new skills or become familiar with a new topic. This MOOC is targeted toward physicians, students, and patients who are interested in learning about clinical and technical research in the field of focused ultrasound. 


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REGISTER & START THE COURSE >
 Foundation News

Vanderbilt’s Will Grissom Joins Foundation Fellowship Program


Will Grissom, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University, has joined the Foundation team as our newest Research Fellow. Grissom, who works at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), will be consulting remotely from Nashville, Tennessee, on a number of translational projects to validate existing methods and enable clinical adoption. 

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Webinar Explores Accelerating Adoption of New Technologies



 

On September 19, best-selling author, business strategist, and serial entrepreneur Salim Ismail led a webinar exploring ways to accelerate the adoption of new technologies in legacy environments. The talk included tips for how to help adapt to the coming disruption in healthcare.

WATCH NOW > 
SEE PAST WEBINARS >

Glioblastoma Multiforme: Tragedy and Hope for the Cancer that Killed Senator John McCain



 

Nir Lipsman, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon and scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. In this blog post, he discusses one of the most deadly brain cancers, including its current treatment options and how focused ultrasound could one day offer hope to patients. 

READ THE BLOG POST >

 International Focused Ultrasound Symposium 2018 News

Detailed Symposium Program Now Available


The Symposium’s 5-day final program is now available. Highlights include: 

  • A dedicated brain day on Monday, covering topics like movement disorders, psychiatric conditions, and blood-brain barrier opening 
  • The Tuesday evening poster session that allows attendees to meet and discuss important collaborations 
  • Lively panel discussions on cancer immunotherapy and osteoid osteomas
  • Insightful keynote speeches and special lectures from leading minds in medicine, technology, and innovation 

SEE THE PROGRAM >
*If prompted to log in, you can opt to do so later and view the program immediately.  

Seung-Schik Yoo, PhD, MBA, to Receive the 2018 Ferenc Jolesz Memorial Award


Seung-Schik Yoo, PhD, MBA, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, will receive the 2018 Ferenc Jolesz Memorial Award at the Symposium. The award was established in 2016 to honor the life of Ferenc Jolesz, a true pioneer in focused ultrasound. It is intended to recognize and encourage this same innovative spirit in mid-career researchers and clinicians who continue to advance focused ultrasound. 

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Two Onsite Breakout Meetings are Seeking Participants


All are invited to attend two breakout meetings that will occur at the Symposium. 

Piezoelectric Materials and Devices
Hosted by Meggitt A/S, this meeting is targeted to a wide variety of end users of piezoelectric materials and devices, engineers, and scientists. Participants will discuss the applications of piezoelectric materials as well as emerging technologies and challenges. 
When & Where: Sunday, October 21 at the Symposium venue
Interested? Learn more here and RSVP to konstantin.astafiev@meggitt.com  


Focused Ultrasound Foundation Veterinary Program 
Are you interested in veterinary applications of focused ultrasound? We will be holding a meeting to identify researchers who are active in this area or interested in getting involved. 
When & Where: Wednesday, October 24, 1:00–2:00 pm in the Lake Anne A Room, Symposium venue
Interested? RSVP to Kelsie Timbie at ktimbie@fusfoundation.org

Register Now for the Symposium


Make plans now to join us October 21-25 in Reston, Virginia. Register now for the full conference or choose from our daily rate options. Discounts are also available for students and federal government employees.

REGISTER NOW >

 Patient News

Mark Your Calendar for Essential Tremor Patient Events


Device manufacturer Insightec is hosting two events in September to educate essential tremor patients and their families about their Neuravive focused ultrasound treatment. Those who are interested in participating and live in the New York or Chicago areas can learn more and sign up on their events page. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT NEURAVIVE >

 Research News

How Focused Ultrasound Helps Drugs Reach Brain Tumors

  

After extended preclinical work, the focused ultrasound community has demonstrated that focused ultrasound technology in combination with microbubbles can robustly disrupt the blood-brain barrier. Now an international research team led by Costas Arvanitis, PhD, and Rakesh Jain, PhD, has begun to elucidate the mechanisms behind the phenomenon. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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Focused Ultrasound Facilitates Delivery of Intranasal Nanoparticles to the Brain

  

Dr. Hong Chen’s group at Washington University in St. Louis recently announced results from their collaborative work with colleagues in pediatrics, radiology, and aerosol chemistry to deliver gold nanoclusters to the brain and then enhance their local delivery with focused ultrasound. “Focused ultrasound combined with microbubble-mediated intranasal delivery of gold nanoclusters to the brain” was recently published in the Journal of Controlled Release.

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Research Site Profile: Washington University in St. Louis

  

The Chen Ultrasound Laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis is the epicenter of focused ultrasound research that is conducted across at least eight different academic departments within the University. Hong Chen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Oncology, launched her laboratory in 2015, and within three short years, this incredible leader has established powerful collaborations with many departments. We interviewed Dr. Chen to learn more about the projects and people at this dynamic center.

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3rd Quarter 2018 Research Awards

  

 

The Foundation’s External Research Awards program has funded a new project for the third quarter of 2018. Eli Vlaisavljevich, PhD, and his team at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) seek to optimize focused ultrasound-based histotripsy applications to mechanically destroy a trio of life-threatening liver cancers: hepatocellular carcinoma, liver metastases, and cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct) tumors.

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Meeting Report: Korean Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound

  

 

The 4th annual meeting of the Korean Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (KSTU) was held at Jeju National University Hospital September 14-15, 2018. The successful meeting marked the first official exchange program between KSTU and the Japanese Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (JSTU), following cross participation of scholars last year at the KSTU and JSTU conferences.

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Research Roundup

  

Can focused ultrasound release chemotherapy from nanoparticles to attack and kill ovarian cancer cells? Can the technology alleviate the symptoms that cause chronic migraines? Can focused ultrasound be used to help stroke patients recover? The three applications found in this month’s roundup – ovarian cancer, migraines, and stroke – are all in the initial stages of research, but advances are being made around the world in each of these novel areas. 

READ THE PAPERS >

For a full list of this month’s research, visit our free, online research library of focused ultrasound publications.

Tell us about your research news for our next newsletter >
 Industry News

FDA Program Aims To Accelerate Reimbursement Coverage




 

A recent blog post by the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Scott Gottlieb, MD, outlines two programs to streamline the path for devices from FDA approval to insurance coverage. Both programs open the lines of communication between manufacturers and payors early – either before or in tandem with FDA submission. Gottlieb says this can benefit manufacturers by initiating “early engagement of payors in discussions about evidentiary needs, being able to consider and address coverage-related issues earlier in the process, and gaining the potential for earlier reimbursement…”

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Chongqing Haifu Demonstrates Focused Ultrasound Device During Live Treatment




 

Attendees at the 2018 Smart China Expo in Chongqing, China, were able to witness a live tumor treatment using Chongqing Haifu’s focused ultrasound device, Haifu Knife. The treatment took place at Pleven Medical University Saint Marina Hospital in Bulgaria under the direction of Prof. Dobromir Dimitrov and was livestreamed at the Expo. The Haifu Knife device is now in use at 56 centers worldwide.  

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Tell us about your industry news for our next newsletter >
 Media Coverage
Brain Tumor Research.org | Focused Ultrasound to Open Blood-brain Barrier 9/11/18

Prostate Cancer News Today | Focal Therapy with Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer Effective, Causes Few Side Effects, Study Suggests 9/6/18

P&T Community | HIFU Prostate Services Treats 1,000th Patient with HIFU, a Non-Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment 9/5/18

Medscape | Fibroids: Which Uterine-Sparing Approach Is Best? 8/29/18

Neurology Advisor | Pulse Focused Ultrasound: A Potential Therapeutic Option for Migraines 8/24/18

Medscape | Should Focal Therapy Be Used in Localized Prostate Cancer? 8/21/18

WUSA 9 | 'It Feels Awesome' Experimental Treatment Helps Man with Tremors Get His Life Back 8/20/18 [video]
 Upcoming Events
September 23, 2018 Insightec Neuravive Patient Event, White Plains, NY

September 24-26, 2018 “Innovation Transforming Healthcare,” The MedTech Conference by AdvaMed, Philadelphia, PA 

September 29, 2018 Insightec Treating Essential Tremor with Focused Ultrasound Patient Event, Oak Brook, IL


October 5-6, 2018 12th Interventional MRI Symposium, Boston, MA 

October 6-10, 2018 Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Annual Meeting, Houston, TX


October 7, 2018 10th National Image-Guided Therapy Workshop (IMRI), Boston, MA 

October 16-17, 2018 Research Funders Summit, Rockville, MD


October 21-24, 2018 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX

October 21-25, 2018 6th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound, Reston, VA 

October 21-25, 2018 European Association of Neurological Societies (EANS), Brussels, Belgium

October 23-24, 2018 Future of Health Summit, Washington, DC

October 27, 2018 International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF) Education Forum, Tampa, FL

November 25-30, 2018 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL


 
See the full calendar and submit your event >