Global Experts Share Latest Advances at ISTU

Published:

ISTU 2016 400More than 220 attendees gathered at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel for the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) 16th International Symposium.

The meeting provided an opportunity for scientists, engineers, clinicians, and industry to share new research findings, exchange ideas, and foster collaboration.

The symposium featured over 100 presentations, including updates from several ongoing clinical and technical studies and 60 posters on early stage research. Scientific highlights included:

  • Exciting advances in blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, including interim results from a Phase I clinical trial in Paris, France to enhance the delivery of chemotherapy to the brain with pulsed ultrasound and a proposed approach to perform real-time and closed-loop control of FUS-based brain drug delivery.
  • Presentations on emerging applications of FUS, including the effects of hyperthermia, which has been shown to modulate the immune response, increasing dendritic cell infiltration and activating the body’s immune response to reduce metastases and future recurrence; and cavitation, which enhances the penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs.
  • The presentation of the Nadine Barrie Smith Award to Maria Eleni Karakatsani (Columbia University) for “Enhanced Neurorestoration through Triple Treatment with Focused-Ultrasound Facilitated Delivery of the Neurotrophic Factor Neurturin” in the student competition.

Keynote speakers included:

  • Michal Schwartz, PhD, Professor of Neuroimmunology, Weizmann Institute, Israel: “A new immunological approach for fighting Alzheimer’s disease pathology and brain ageing: a lesson from tumor immunotherapy?”
  • Kobi Vortman, PhD, Founder and Vice Chairman, Insightec Ltd, Tirat Carmel, Israel: “MRgFUS, Crossing the Chasm from Proof of Concept to Mainstream Treatment Alternative.”
  • Pejman Ghanouni, MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine: “MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Treatment of Soft Tissue Tumors of the Extremities.”
  • Dr. Joan Vidal-Jové, MD, PhD, Director of HIFU Surgical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain: “Focused Ultrasound Interventional Oncology: Local and Regional Control of Advanced Malignant Disease Is Here to Stay.”