Key Points
- Eleven recent conferences included focused ultrasound presentations.
- Use the links below to access meeting programs and abstract information.
Japanese Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (JSTU)
On March 2, 2026, JSTU held its annual meeting in Fukuoka City, Japan. Including all speakers, there were approximately 50 clinicians, pharmacists, researchers, and students in attendance.
After opening remarks, the day-long program was divided into three sessions of general presentations, an international symposium with presentations from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and France, and an interdisciplinary symposium highlighting nose-to-brain drug delivery for treating diseases of the central nervous system.
“More than half of the speakers were graduate students who were active in asking questions. This created interesting discussions after each oral presentation,” said Dong-Guk Paeng, PhD, the Foundation’s Asia Ambassador who attended the event. “There were also several young professors and researchers, especially from pharmacy, indicating a bright future for the continued development of JSTU.”
The meeting program proceeded as follows:
9:30 am – 9:40 am Opening Remarks
Hiroshi Kida from the Department of Anatomy, faculty of Medicine at Fukuoka University, welcomed attendees and provided opening remarks.
9:40 am – 10:40 am General Presentations 1
This session was chaired by Yoko Takahashi from the Department of Drug Delivery in the School of Pharmacy at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences. It included four presentations:
- Investigation of the Responsiveness of Albumin-Shelled Nanobubbles to Low-Frequency Ultrasound by Kohei Fukiage, Yutaro Yamazaki, Masahiro Tachibana, Michihiro Noma, Katsuro Tachibana, and Hiroshi Kida (Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University; Center for Advanced Medical Research, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University)
- Investigation of the Potential for Theranostic Application of Albumin-Shelled Nanobubbles in Urogenital Diseases by Masahiro Tachibana, Michihiro Noma, Nobuhiro Haga, Katsuro Tachibana, and Hiroshi Kida (Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University; Department of Nephro-Urology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University; Center for Advanced Medical Research, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University)
- Basic Investigation into the Effect of Enhancing Intracerebral Drug Transport via the Nose-to-Brain Pathway Using Nanobubbles Generated via Microfluidic Technology in Combination with Ultrasound by Taiki Yamaguchi, Yoko Takahashi, Yurika Kiso, Honoka Yoshikawa, Takanori Kanazawa, and Yoichi Negishi (Department of Drug Delivery, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences; Division of Drug Therapy, School of Pharmacy, Tokushima University)
- Preparation of Cationic Polysaccharide-Containing Nanobubbles via Microfluidic Technology and Their Efficacy in Nucleic Acid Delivery by Yoko Takahashi, Taiki Yamaguchi, Shiori Nade, Hayato Okuyama, Saki Yoshida, and Yoichi Negishi (Department of Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences)
10:40 am – 12:20 pm International Symposium on Ultrasound Molecular Theranostics 2026
The international session focused on molecular theranostics and included presentations from the Korean Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound (KSTU) and the Taiwan Association of Interventional and Therapeutic Ultrasound (TAITU). It was chaired by Dr. Paeng (representing Jeju National University in Korea) and Katsuro Tachibana from Fukuoka University in Japan. It included four presentations, as follows:
- Mechanical Wobbling High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Transducer for Volumetric Treatment of Uterine Fibroids by Yongrae Roh (Kyungpook National University, Korea)
- Focused Ultrasound in Brain Tumors: From Barrier Modulation to Therapeutic Synergy by Ko-Ting Chen (Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan)
- Ultrasound-Induced Neuronal Excitation via the Mechanosensitive Ion Channel TRPC6 in the Mammalian brain by Yumi Matsushita (National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan)
- Ultrasonic Cavitation for Stiffness Modulation of the Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment by Maxime Lafond (Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France)
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm Interdisciplinary Symposium: New Horizons in the Treatment of Central Nervous System Diseases Opened Up by Nose-to-Brain Delivery
The interdisciplinary session was chaired by Hiroshi Kida from the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine at Fukuoka University. It included three presentations, as follows:
- Formulation Strategies for Enhanced Nose-to-Brain Delivery and Magnetic Field–Responsive Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) by Koki Ogawa and Tetsuya Ozeki (Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University: Division of Drug Delivery Systems)
- Strategies for Enhancing the Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals and their Application to Hippocampal Neuron Targeting by Keisuke Kamei (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University: Laboratory of Drug Delivery Systems)
- Development of a Novel Nose-to-Brain Nano-DDS to Pioneer New Therapies for Central Nervous System Diseases by Takanori Kanazawa (Institute of Biomedical Sciences [Pharmaceutical Domain], Tokushima University; DDS Research Center, Tokushima University)
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm General Presentations 2
This session was chaired by Susumu Yoshizawa from the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University. It included four sessions, as follows:
- Generation of Lipid-Shell Ultrafine Bubbles via the Thin-Film High-Speed Shaking Method by Michihiro Noma, Shuichi Wada, Katsuro Tachibana, and Hiroshi Kida (Fukuoka University, Faculty of Medicine: Department of Anatomy; Department of Cardiovascular Surgery; Research Center for Comprehensive Medicine)
- The Impact of Surface Charge Control on the Behavior of Ultrafine Bubbles by Doro Takeuchi, Kaori Fukushige, and Munekazu Naito (Aichi Medical University, Department of Anatomy)
- Drug Discovery Research Utilizing High-Concentration UFB Water: Elucidating the Mechanism for Dispersing and Dissolving Poorly Soluble Polymeric Materials by Masahiko Kubota and Mari Kubota (Falstoma Co., Ltd.; Keio University School of Medicine)
- Initiatives for Evaluating Transplanted Pancreatic Islets Using Ultrasound Imaging by Naoaki Sakata (Fukuoka University, Faculty of Medicine: Department of Regenerative and Transplant Medicine)
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm General Presentations 3
This session was chaired by Shinji Takayanagi, a member of the faculty of Life and Medical Sciences at Doshisha University. It included four sessions, as follows:
- The Impact of Ultrasound Irradiation on the Wound Healing Rate of Human Epidermal Keratinocytes by Nonoka Ito, Haru Hase, Ryosuke Niwa, Hiroshi Ichikawa, and Iwaki Akiyama (Doshisha University: Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences; Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences)
- Experimental Investigation of GFAP Gene Expression in Ultrasound-Irradiated Medaka Embryos by Yuri Moriyama, Rie Kusakabe, Shiori Onishi, Shinji Takayanagi, Masaya Ikegawa, Tomohiro Ueno, Akinori Iwasaki, Masahiro Yoshioka, and Iwaki Akiyama (Doshisha University, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences; Kansai University; Kyoto University; AB SCIEX; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology [AIST])
- Localized and Non-Contact Cell Culture Utilizing Microbubbles and Interfering Sound Fields by Ayako Noguchi, Hideaki Tsuchida, Ai Sakamoto, Keigo Nagasaki, Kanta Muramatsu, Yoshitaka Miyamoto, Daiki Omata, Ryo Suzuki, and Koji Masuda (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; National Research Institute for Child Health and Development; Teikyo University faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
- Investigation of Microbubble Attachment Conditions to Achieve a Balance Between Cell Dynamic Control and Viability by Hideaki Tsuchida, Ayako Noguchi, Yoshitaka Miyamoto, Daiki Omata, Ryo Suzuki, Koji Masuda (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; National Research Institute for Child Health and Development; Teikyo University)
For industry participation, Prof. Katsuro Tachibana sponsored a booth for his startup company that is developing nanobubbles for focused ultrasound–based drug delivery. The Focused Ultrasound Foundation also participated as a meeting sponsor.
The Foundation thanks Dr. Paeng for submitting this meeting report.
European Congress of Radiology (ECR)
With the theme “Rays of Knowledge,” the European Society of Radiology’s 2026 ECR meeting was held March 4–8 in Vienna, Austria. This large congress is attended by 22,000 clinicians, researchers, physicists, technicians, radiographers, and industry representatives from more than 120 countries.
Loes Knorren, MD, an obstetrics and gynecology resident who was previously at Isala Hospital in Zwolle but recently moved to University Medical Center Groningen in Groningen, The Netherlands, attended ECR and presented her research using novel MR sequences to assess treatment efficacy treating uterine fibroids with focused ultrasound.
“My talk was well attended, and it was nice to see several other focused ultrasound presentations during the congress as well,” said Dr. Knorren. “Radiologists often provide image guidance assistance for focused ultrasound procedures, and our team has been working together to advance imaging techniques that give us immediate feedback for improving treatment outcomes.”
In total, there were eight ECR 2026 presentations that may be of interest to the focused ultrasound community. Each is listed below by session, and most are available on demand by clicking on the link.
- HIFU Beyond Well-Known Clinical Indications. David Maintz from Münster, Germany, presented this overview of standard clinical applications, novel clinical applications, and the potential of the technology in the next ten years (including HIFU for pancreatic cancer and facet joint syndrome).
Clinical Trials in Radiology Session 11. Recent Studies in Oncology and AI.
- Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Focal Therapy: PSMA-FAB vs. PI-FAB. Egesta Lopci from Rozzano, Italy presented a study comparing in parallel mpMRI and PSMA PET/CT for the assessment of prostate cancer patients who are candidates for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablative therapy.
Clinical Trials in Radiology Session 20. Late-Breaking Clinical Trials in Radiology.
- Randomized Trial of MRI-Guided Transurethral Ultrasound Ablation (TULSA) vs. Radical Prostatectomy for Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: Perioperative Outcomes. Katarzyna J. (Kasia) Macura from Baltimore, MD, United States, reported baseline characteristics and perioperative outcomes from the CAPTAIN (NCT05027477) randomized controlled trial directly comparing erections, urinary continence, and freedom from salvage treatment of TULSA vs robotic prostatectomy for intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer.
- The New Era of Non-invasive Interventional Oncology with Histotripsy – Early Results and Experience on Hepatic Tumours from Asia. Neeraj Ramesh Mahboobani from Hong Kong SAR China reported results and experience from one of the first sites in Asia using histotripsy to treat focal liver lesions.
Research Presentation Session 1007. Genitourinary – Imaging of Benign Female Pelvic Disorders.
- Intraprocedural Assessment of Treatment Efficacy Using Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM)–Analysis During Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) Treatment of Uterine Fibroids. Dr. Knorren presented an explorative pilot study evaluating the potential of IVIM-derived perfusion fraction and apparent diffusion coefficient maps for real-time MRgFUS treatment monitoring.
- Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) for ablation of Osteoid Osteoma: Results from 10 Years of Experience. Marica Adinolfi Falcone from L’Aquila, Italy, evaluated the long-term outcomes and effectiveness of MRgFUS in the treatment of OO compared with other therapeutic options.
- Five-Year MRI Visibility of MRgFUS Thalamotomy in Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s Disease. Giovanni Di Cerbo from Maddaloni, Italy, evaluated long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of unilateral MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) Vim thalamotomy for essential tremor over five years, assessing durability of tremor control and lesion evolution on MRI.
Research Presentation Session 2108. Head and Neck Cancer Imaging: What’s New?
- Cascade-Penetrating Domino-Ferroptosis Nano Inducer Synergizes with Sonodynamic Therapy for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Peng Dong from Changchun, China, aimed to construct a cascade-penetrating metal-polyphenol ultrasonic molecular probe, Fe3+Cur-PFP@IR780-LIP to induce a domino-ferroptosis reaction, enhance sonodynamic therapy, and realize multimodal imaging.
Search the 2026 Meeting Program for your own key words or indications.
Next meeting: ECR 2027 will be held March 3–7 in Vienna.
Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) 2026 Annual Meeting
SSO held its 2026 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, from March 5–7, 2026. This year’s theme was “Learning Together,” and the program offered educational sessions for the approximately 1,800 surgical oncologists, advanced practice providers, residents, fellows, and industry professionals who attend each year.
The following content may be of interest to the focused ultrasound community:
On March 5, Hop S. Tran Cao, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, moderated a session called “HPB (Hepatopancreatobiliary) Great Debate: Histotripsy for Liver Malignancies: Breakthrough or Hype?” This session included two presentations and two rebuttals followed by time for audience Q&A:
- “Histotripsy is a Breakthrough for Liver Malignancies” by Susanne G. Warner, MD (Mayo Clinic)
- “Histotripsy is Hype for Liver Malignancies” by T. Peter Kingham, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)
- Rebuttal: Histotripsy is a Breakthrough by Dr. Warner
- Rebuttal: Histotripsy is Hype by Dr. Kingham
- Q&A
On March 6, HistoSonics hosted an industry forum titled “Histotripsy in Practice: Real-World Experience, Evidence, and Future Frontiers” During the 45-minute presentation, Young K. Hong, MD, associate professor of surgery at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, and Nelson A. Royall, MD, program director of the General Surgery Residency Program at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia, shared their experiences using histotripsy. Topics included real-world use cases, lessons learned, and best practices for integration into surgical oncology programs.
Search the general Meeting Program for your own key words or indications of interest.
The abstracts and oral podium presentations from SSO 2026 were published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, organized by type. There was one histotripsy poster from the group at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee:
PPS53 (Poster Park)
Systemic T Cells Phenotypic and Functional Characterization Following Ablation of Liver Tumors by Histotripsy by Marium Siddiqui, MD, Matthew A. Cottam, PhD, Zaid Hatem, Yunli Chu, Marcus Tan, MBBS, FACS, Douglas Johnson, MD, MSCI, Mona Mashayekhi, MD, PhD, Sekhar Padmanabhan, MD, FACS, FSSO, and Kamran Idrees, MD, MS, MMHC, FACS, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University
Next Meeting: SSO 2027 will be held March 18–20 in Washington, DC.
Chen Institute Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation 2026
On March 6–7, the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute hosted a symposia series event on focused ultrasound neuromodulation. The invitation-only, in-person meeting in Menlo Park, California, included approximately 25 global leaders who are working in science, technology, engineering, and clinical applications of focused ultrasound neuromodulation.
A global, multidisciplinary organization, the Chen Institute advances fundamental brain science and accelerates scientific discovery through artificial intelligence to improve human wellbeing. Its mission is to understand how the brain perceives, learns, and interacts with the world. The Chen Institute supports transformative ideas, empowers emerging talent, and builds collaborative ecosystems that push the boundaries of knowledge and human potential.
The focused ultrasound neuromodulation meeting was divided into six moderated sessions and included attendee presentations and panel discussions.
Session 1 – Clinical Applications – Moderated by Elsa Fouragnan, PhD
- Towards Clinical Applications of Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound by Andres Lozano, MD, PhD
- Tuning Out the Amygdala with Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation by Noah Philip, MD
- Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound: Towards Targeted Clinical Therapeutics by Wynn Legon, PhD
Session 2 – Clinical Applications: Overcoming Challenges Panel Discussion – Moderated by Jan Kubanek, PhD with the following panelists: Jean-François Aubry, PhD, Wynn Legon, PhD, Noah Philip, MD, Brad Treeby, PhD, and Jan Kubanek, PhD
Session 3 – Experiment Design and Optimization – Moderated by Robert Chen, MA, MBBChir, MSc
- When Brain State Matters in Ultrasound Neuromodulation by Elsa Fouragnan, PhD
- Target-Specific Tremor Modulation Using Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation: Insights from Vim and Zona Incerta by Hongchae ‘Iris’ Baek, PhD
- Ultrasound Control of Gene and Cell Therapy by Yingxiao Wang, PhD
- Effect of Focal Spot Size and Ultrasound Frequency of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation of Motor Cortex by Samuel Pichardo, PhD
- The Role of Ion Channels in Ultrasound Neuromodulation by Martin Prieto, PhD
- Toward Personalized Thalamic Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation Approaches in Epilepsy by Joline Fan, MD
- Ultrasound Neuromodulation in Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders by Robert Chen, MA, MBBChir, MSc
Session 4 – tFUS Neuromodulation Challenges, Bioeffects, and the Physiological Effects – Moderated by Elisa Konofagou, PhD
- Invasive Proof for a Noninvasive Promise: DBS-Informed Electrophysiology of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation by Ghazaleh Darmani, PhD
- Ultrasound Neuromodulation: Regulatory Science Considerations by Subha Maruvada, PhD
- Ultrasound-Based Targeting and Monitoring of Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation by Elisa Konofagou, PhD
Session 5 – Mechanisms and Effective Parameters: Consensus Panel Discussion – Moderated by Charles Caskey, PhD, with the following panelists: Elisa Konofagou, PhD, Kim Butts Pauly, PhD, Charles Caskey, PhD, and Keith Murphy, PhD
Session 6 – Technology Platform – Moderated by Kim Butts Pauly, PhD
- Image-Guided Immunomodulation at the Neuro-Immune Interface by Tao Sun, PhD
- Advanced Architecture for Ultrasound Guidance into the Brain by Bhaskar Ramamurthy, PhD, and Hong Chen, PhD
- Noninvasive Wearable Ultrasound Stimulation for Vision Restoration by Qifa Zhou, PhD
- Imaging of Therapeutic Delivery to the Brain and Associated Ultrasound Technologies by Katherine Ferrara, PhD
- High-Precision MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation with Multisite Targeting and fMRI Evaluation by Li Min Chen, MD, PhD, and Charles Caskey, PhD
- MR-ARFI in Humans: Focal Spot Size, Location, and Comparison to Simulation by Kim Butts Pauly, PhD
“There are several remaining challenges for the clinical translation of focused ultrasound neuromodulation, including expanding our understanding of the parameter space beyond what has been explored in previous studies and identifying the most reliable imaging readouts to guide targeting,” said Dr. Baek, the Foundation’s Neuromodulation Program Manager, who attended and presented at the symposium. “Across studies targeting different indications that have shown encouraging results, we have learned that there is still no consensus on the optimal target, the optimal time point to assess treatment response, stimulation protocols, or methods for verifying target engagement. To overcome the current barrier of heterogeneous results, the field needs to establish consensus—at a minimum—on the optimal target, stimulation protocol, and methods for confirming target engagement, along with quantifiable and objective assessments to demonstrate reproducible efficacy across centers.”
The Chen Institute is committed to supporting and promoting the advancement of focused ultrasound neuromodulation in human brain discovery, brain treatment, and brain augmentation.
European Association of Urology (EAU) 41st Annual Congress
London, UK, was the site of EAU’s 41st Annual Congress, which took place from March 13–16, 2026. EAU is now the largest urology congress in the world, with about 12,000 yearly attendees.
Laurence Klotz, MD, FRCSC, chief of urological surgery at the University of Toronto and chair of prostate cancer research at Sunnybrook Research Institute, presented late-breaking abstract data from Profound Medical’s randomized controlled CAPTAIN trial. This study is directly comparing MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA) versus robotic prostatectomy. Dr. Klotz’s keynote presentation was centered on initial perioperative outcomes.
“My presentation created significant buzz and notable social media activity and interest throughout the prostate cancer community and with industry investors” said Dr. Klotz. “In general, all of the focused ultrasound presentations were well attended.”
For industry participation, Sonablate HIFU, Profound Medical, and Focal One each had a presence in the exhibit hall.
There were 10 presentations that may be of interest to the focused ultrasound community:
LATE-BREAKING AND HIGH-IMPACT ABSTRACTS
Prostate Cancer: Optimizing Radical Prostatectomy Outcomes & Focal Therapy
LB005: Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating MRI-Guided Transurethral Ultrasound Ablation (TULSA) Versus Robotic Prostatectomy: Initial Perioperative Outcomes by Klotz LH, Meng X, Lotan Y, Pavlovich C, Sprenkle P, Koch M, Mynderse L, Kella N, Chin J, Anttinen M, Clint B, George A, Pathak R, Inman B, Brisbane W, Olivares R, Carey R, Michel K, Patel P, LaTowsky A, Mehan R, Staruch R, Clarke G, and Sonn G from the University of Toronto Department of Surgery (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dept. of Urology (Dallas, TX, USA), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Dept. of Urology (Baltimore, MD, USA), Yale School of Medicine Dept. of Urology (New Haven, CT, USA), Indiana University School of Medicine Dept. of Urology (Indianapolis, IN, USA), Mayo Clinic Dept. of Urology (Rochester, MN, USA), The Urology Place/UT Health Science Center San Antonio Dept. of Urology (San Antonio, TX, USA), Western University Dept. of Urology (London, Ontario, Canada), Turku University Hospital Dept. of Urology (Turku, Finland), Mayo Clinic Dept. of Urology (Jacksonville, FL, USA), University of California–Los Angeles Dept. of Urology (Los Angeles, CA, USA), Cleveland Clinic Dept. of Urology (Cleveland, OH, USA), Sarasota Memorial Hospital Dept. of Urology (Sarasota, FL, USA), Comprehensive Urology Clinic (Los Angeles, CA, USA), Arizona State Urological Institute (Phoenix, AZ, USA), Academic Urology and Urogynecology of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ, USA), East Valley Urology Center of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ, USA), Profound Medical Clinical Science (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Stanford Medicine Dept. of Urology (Stanford, CA, USA)
ABSTRACT SESSION 38 – UROLOGY TRIALS IN BLADDER AND PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate Cancer
A0645: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Prospective, Multicenter Trial of LIPUS Therapy for Urinary Incontinence Recovery Following Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy by Cui D, Li X, and Han B from Shanghai General Hospital Dept. of Urology (Shanghai, China)
ABSTRACT SESSION 40 – FOCAL THERAPY OF PROSTATE CANCER: PATIENT SELECTION, LONG-TERM OUTCOMES, AND EMERGING TECHNIQUES
HIFU and Cryoablation
A0678: 10-year Oncological Outcomes Following Focal HIFU and Cryotherapy for Treatment of Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer: An Analysis of 3471 Patients from the Prospective HEAT and ICE Registries by Light A, Peters M, Mayor N, Arya M, Bertoncelli Tanaka M, Doherty A, Dudderidge T, Emara A, Emberton M, Grey A, Hindley R, Laniado M, McCraken S, Moore CM, Nigam R, Noureldin M, Orczyk C, Rakauskas A, Simmons L, Virdi J, Withington J, Zakikhani P, Ahmed HU, and Shah TT from Imperial College London/Imperial Prostate (London, UK) Radiotherapiegroep/Dept. of Radiotherapy (Deventer, The Netherlands), Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust/Imperial Urology at Charing Cross Hospital (London, UK), University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Birmingham, UK), University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Southampton General Hospital (Southampton, UK), Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital (Basingstoke, UK), University College London Division of Surgery and Interventional Science (London, UK), Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Wexham Park Hospital (Slough, UK), South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Sunderland Royal Hospital (Sunderland, UK), Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Royal Surrey County Hospital (Guildford, UK), Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Royal United Hospital (Bath, UK), The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Dept. of Urology at Princess Alexandra Hospital (Harlow, UK), and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Dept. of Urology at Princess Royal Hospital (Haywards Heath, UK)
A0679: Prognostic Value of Preoperative SUV in Patients Who Underwent Focal Therapy HIFU: Early Prospective Results from a Single-Center Cohort by Mallia V, Fasulo V, Tallari A, Evangelista L, Tiscione M, Sormani F, Maffei D, Avolio PP, Paciotti M, Casale P, Saita A, Hurle R, Buffi NM, Lughezzani G, and Lazzeri M from Humanitas University Dept. of Biochemical Sciences and IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital Dept. of Urology in Milan, Italy
A0680: Single-Tap Versus Double-Tap High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Localized Prostate Cancer: A Propensity Score–Matched Analysis by Rodriguez-Sanchez L, Baiamonte G, Dante T, Rodriguez-Serrano A, Seguier D, Olivier J, Kaufmann B, Daniel E, Ebner A, Maiolino G, Martínez-Salamanca JI, Linares-Espinós E, Nagaraj Y, Cathelineau X, Salomon G, Sanchez-Salas R, and Polascik TJ from Institut Médico-Chirurgical Montsouris Dept. of Urology (Paris, France), Universidad de Las Américas Data Science Research Center (Santiago, Chile), Claude Huriez Hospital/CHU Lille Dept. of Urology (Lille, France), University Hospital Zurich/University of Zurich Dept. of Urology (Zurich, Switzerland), Lyx Institute of Urology/Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Dept. of Urology (Madrid, Spain), Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center/University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf Dept. of Urology (Hamburg, Germany), McGill University Dept. of Urology (Montréal, Canada), and the Duke Cancer Center Dept. of Urology (Durham, NC, USA)
A0681: Micro-Ultrasound for Post-HIFU Surveillance in Localized Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Experience by Avolio PP, Fasulo V, Paciotti M, Piccolini A, Finocchiaro A, Mallia V, Lazzeri M, Casale P, Buffi NM, and Lughezzani G at Humanitas University Dept. of Biomedical Science (Pieve Emauele, Italy), and Humanitas Research Hospital Dept. of Urology (Rozzano, Italy)
A0683: 5-Year Outcomes after Index Lesion Ablation of Multifocal Prostate Cancer Using Focal HIFU and Cryotherapy: An Analysis of 1050 Patients by Light A, Peters M, Gopalakrishnan A, Mayor N, Cullen E, Boaz J, Norris J, Morris S, Rakauskas A, Bertoncelli Tanaka M, Arya M, Ahmed HU, and Shah TT from Imperial College London/Imperial Prostate (London, UK), Radiotherapiegroep Dept. of Radiotherapy (Deventer, The Netherlands), Charing Cross Hospital/Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust/Imperial Urology, (London, UK)
A0684: A Multicenter Evaluation of Infield Recurrence Rates in Patients Treated with Focal HIFU or Cryotherapy by Reddy DT, Fan R, Kaneko M, Freitas P, Fainberg J, Wang B, Bahar P, Tayebi S, Sidana A, Ayenew M, Hayek O, Rais-Bahrami S, Wood A, Olivares R, Nahar B, Sonn G, George A, and Abreu A from Johns Hopkins University Dept. of Urology (Baltimore, MD, USA), Stanford University Dept. of Urology (Stanford, CA, USA), University of Southern California Dept. of Urology (Los Angeles, CA, USA), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Dept. of Urology (Miami, FL,USA), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Dept. of Urology (New York, NY, USA), Cleveland Clinic Dept. of Urology (Cleveland, OH, USA), University of Michigan Dept. of Urology (Ann Arbor, MI, USA), University of Cincinnati Dept. of Urology (Cincinnati, OH, USA), University of Chicago Dept. of Urology (Chicago, IL, USA), University of Alabama Dept. of Urology (Birmingham, AL, USA), and Wake Forest University Dept. of Urology (Winston-Salem, NC, USA)
Head-to-Head Comparison
A0690: Hemigland Cryoablation Versus HIFU for Localized Prostate Cancer: A Propensity-Weighted 2-Yrs Comparison of Functional and Oncologic Outcomes from a Single Tertiary-Care Center by Anceschi U, Basile S, Flammia RS, Brassetti A, Proietti F, Tuderti G, Mastroianni R, Ferriero M, Misuraca L, D’annunzio S, Bove AM, Licari LC, Bologna E, Chiacchio G, Iori M, Guaglianone S, Leonardo C, and Simone G from the Uro-Oncology Program at IRCCS – Regina Elena National Cancer Institute Dept. of Urology (Rome, Italy)
VIDEO SESSION 14 – EMERGING MINIMALLY INVASIVE THERAPIES IN UROLOGY: FROM ENDOSCOPIC RECONSTRUCTION TO NOVEL PROSTATE INTERVENTIONS
V096: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Prostate Cancer – Step by Step Technique by Paesano NE, Justo Quintas J, García Barreras S, Otta Oshiro R, and Romero Otero J from ROC Clinic HM Hospitales Dept. of Urology (Madrid, Spain)
Search the online Meeting Program for your own key words or areas of interest. There were several general focal therapy presentations.
EAU 2027, the 42nd Annual EAU Congress will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on March 19–22, 2027.
See the Profound Medical Press Release: CAPTAIN Trial Comparing Profound’s MRI-Guided TULSA Procedure™ to Robotic Radical Prostatectomy Successfully Meets Primary Safety Endpoint, Preservation of Erectile Function and Urinary Continence :: Profound Medical Corp. (PROF) plus media pickup on Medscape
AD/PD™ 2026
AD/PD™ 2026, the International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders, was held March 17–21 in Copenhagen, Denmark, with the theme of “Advances in Science and Therapy.” This meeting seeks to present the latest breakthroughs in the treatment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other related neurological disorders. Its content includes basic research, translational studies, drug development, and recent clinical trials.
During the “Advances in AD Treatment” oral presentation session, the research team from Queensland Brain Institute led by Jürgen Götz, PhD, presented Preclinical and Clinical Studies Exploring Scanning Ultrasound for Neuromodulation and Drug Delivery in Alzheimer’s Disease (#418). The author group included Jürgen Götz, Peter Nestor, Godfrey Nkajja, Gerhard Leinenga, Esteban Cruz, and Daniel Blackmore.
There were seven posters that may also be of interest to the focused ultrasound community, and each is listed below:
- Board #205 Abstract #2929. Focused Ultrasound Expands Intra-CSF AAV Delivery to Deep Brain Structures in Rats and Non-Human Primates by Rikke Kofoed, Bradford Elmer, Kate Noseworthy, Jeffrey Ardinger, Kathleen Wu, Erik Wischhof, Laura Vecchio, Thangaaishwarya Mahendran, Chinaza Dibia, Hillary Koch, Shih-Ching Chou, Shuruthisai Sivadas, Jie Bu, Sheng-Kai Wu, Dallan Mcmahon, Kristina Mikloska, Malik White, Shyam Ramachandran, Kullervo Hynynen, Christian Mueller, and Isabelle Aubert from Aarhus University Department of Clinical Medicine (Aarhus, Denmark), Sanofi (Waltham and Cambridge, MA, USA), Sunnybrook Research Institute (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and the Sunnybrook Research Institute Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program Biological Sciences Platform (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Board #513 Abstract #1779. Therapeutic Effects of Transcranial Low-Intensity Ultrasound Stimulation on Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus by Jaeho Kim, Min Seung Kim, Sunghun Kim, Bo-Yong Park, and Sang Won Jo from Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital Neurology (Hwaseong, Republic of Korea), Korea University Brain & Cognitive Engineering (Seoul, Republic of Korea), and Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital Radiology (Hwaseong, Republic of Korea)
- Board #675 Abstract #2976. Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Delivery of SCFVMC1 Gene Therapy Results in Region-Specific Reductions of Soluble and Insoluble Tau by Laura Vecchio, Nazia Habib, Alessia Apa, Kate Noseworthy, Sheng-Kai Wu, L RubioAntonal, Nathalie Vacaresse, Shawna Rideout-Gros, Brandy Laurette, Luca Giliberto, Kullervo Hynynen, Cristina D’Abramo, and Isabelle Aubert from Sunnybrook Research Institute Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program/Biological Sciences Platform (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research/Litwin-Zucker Center For Alzheimer’s Disease & Memory Disorders Institute of Molecular Medicine (Manhasset, NY, USA), University of Toronto Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Sunnybrook Research Institute Physical Sciences Platform (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Northwell Health Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (Manhasset, NY, USA), Northwell Health Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (Manhasset, NY, USA), University of Toronto Department of Medical Biophysics (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and the University of Toronto Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Board #680 Abstract #1068. Tau Antibodies Engineered for Neuronal Penetration Improve Target Engagement and Reduction of Tau Aggregation by Esteban Cruz, Carly Johnson, Rebecca Nisbet, Pranesh Padmanabhan, and Jürgen Götz from the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research/Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia)
- Board #686 Abstract #1118. Scanning Focused Ultrasound Upregulates Autophagy in a Tauopathy Mouse Model by Bradley Connor, Esteban Cruz, and Jürgen Götz from the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research/Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia)
- Board #697 Abstract #1884. Preclinical Blood-Brain Barrier Delivery Platform Based on Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPU) Sonocloud® for Neurodegenerative Disease Targeted Therapeutics by Thomas Vogels, Maarten Loos, Michael Canney, and Pierre De Rossi from InnoSer Neurology Research Group (Leiden, The Netherlands), and Carthera (Lyon, France)
- Board #706 Abstract #2008 ASO Delivery Using Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPU)/Microbubble Mediated Blood Brain Barrier Opening: A New Opportunity For Patients With ALS by Pierre De Rossi, Naim Khedair, Anne Guillou-Duvoid, Severine Boillée, Alexandre Carpentier, Olivier Pascual, and Michael Canney from Carthera, Scientific Affairs (Lyon, France), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1/Institut Melis (Lyon, France), Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle Rhem-adv, (Montpellier, France), Sorbonne Université Institut Du Cerveau/Paris Brain Institute – ICM (Paris, France), and Sorbonne Université Neurosurgery Department at AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (Paris, France)
Search the Interactive Meeting Program for your own key words or topics of interest. Search the Posters on Boards abstract book. All content is available virtually.
Next Meeting: AD/PD™ 2027 will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from March 16–20.
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) & Focused Ultrasound Symposium of the Carolinas
On March 21, 2026, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology hosted the DBS and Focused Ultrasound Symposium of the Carolinas, bringing together leaders in neuromodulation from across North and South Carolina.
Centered on the theme “Achieving Excellence in Patient Care Through Collaboration,” the meeting highlighted a growing regional commitment to advancing innovation, standardizing care, and building collaborative research frameworks in brain neuromodulation.
The symposium convened approximately 75 neurosurgeons, neurologists, trainees, scientists, and engineers representing major academic and clinical programs across the Carolinas. Opening remarks by Dr. Daniel Roque and Dr. Vibhor Krishna set the tone for a highly interactive program designed to move beyond traditional didactics and toward shared problem-solving.
A series of moderated panels focused on the evolving landscape of DBS and focused ultrasound, with institutions including Duke University, Wake Forest University, Prisma Health, and the Medical University of South Carolina sharing their clinical workflows, growth strategies, and lessons learned. These discussions emphasized opportunities to harmonize clinical practices, improve patient selection, and develop common outcome measures across centers.
Focused ultrasound featured prominently throughout the meeting, reflecting its rapid growth as both a clinical and research platform. Conversations highlighted not only the expansion of focused ultrasound for movement disorders, but also emerging opportunities in neuromodulation, imaging integration, and translational science.
The symposium also included keynote lectures from internationally recognized leaders. Prof. Günther Deuschl discussed the importance of interdisciplinary care and long-term collaboration in advancing neuromodulation, while Prof. Kullervo Hynynen provided a comprehensive perspective on the evolution of focused ultrasound—from foundational science to current clinical applications and future directions.
A dedicated session, “New Voices, New Directions,” showcased emerging research, underscoring the field’s strong pipeline of innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence–driven DBS optimization and novel therapeutic indications.
Importantly, the meeting concluded with a forward-looking discussion on building a regional collaborative framework, including the potential development of shared registries, standardized imaging protocols, and multicenter research initiatives. The strong engagement throughout the day—and sustained attendance through the final session—reflected a clear enthusiasm for continued collaboration. Organizers expressed plans to transition the symposium into an annual, rotating meeting across institutions in the Carolinas, reinforcing a shared vision of advancing neuromodulation through partnership.
“What stood out most was the collective energy around collaboration—there was a clear sense that we can achieve far more together than as individual programs,” said Dr. Krishna. “This meeting is an important first step toward building a regional ecosystem that advances both clinical excellence and innovation in neuromodulation.”
Veterinary Cancer Society (VCS) and Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology (VSSO) Collaborative Conference
With the goal of converging expertise in multidisciplinary cancer care, VCS and VSSO held a collaborative conference in Savannah, Georgia, USA, from March 18–21, 2026. Both organizations share a commitment to comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, team-based cancer care that places the patient at the center. More than 200 attendees discussed diagnosis, treatment, and outcome improvement of cancer in companion animals.
On Friday, March 20, Joanne Tuohy, DVM, PhD, associate professor of surgical oncology at Virginia Tech’s Animal Cancer Care and Research Center, and Will Eward, MD, DVM, an orthopedic surgical oncologist at Duke Health, gave a State-of-the-Art Presentation during the Sarcoma Session. Their talk was titled “What’s New in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment: Human Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Perspectives.”
Dr. Tuohy provided the veterinary perspective while Dr. Eward presented the advances in treating human sarcoma. In her Comparative Oncology Research Laboratory, Dr. Tuohy works to improve cancer outcomes for veterinary and human patients via tumor ablation and immunotherapy. She is developing focused ultrasound histotripsy as a tumor ablation modality for the primary tumor in osteosarcoma and other tumors. At the Duke Cancer Center and Sarcoma Clinic, Dr. Eward treats humans, but he started as a veterinarian and continues his veterinary practice. He went to medical school to become a surgical oncologist because he was interested in learning how to better treat dogs with cancer. Continuing to treat dogs with sarcomas helps him gain a deeper understanding of sarcoma and how it affects dogs and people.
“Our presentation was positively received,” said Dr. Tuohy “Several interested attendees with thoughtful follow-up questions reached out after the session.”
European Cavernoma Meeting 2026
The first ever European Cavernoma Meeting was held March 20–21 in Tübingen, Germany. The conference had a total attendance of approximately 80 physicians and researchers, with most of the researchers studying the basic mechanisms of cavernoma formation and progression. The conference was generally centered around surgical outcomes, functional impact, and decision making in surgical resection. Representatives from patient-centered or philanthropic organizations (e.g., Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation, European Cavernoma Alliance) were also among the audience.
Richard J. Price, PhD, professor of radiology and medical imaging at the University of Virginia, gave an oral presentation that highlighted his preclinical work developing focused ultrasound as a potential treatment option for cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), which are also called cavernomas. His talk was titled, “Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) Analysis of Murine CCMs Treated with Focused Ultrasound (FUS) and Microbubbles (MBs).”
“QSM is emerging as an important biomarker of CCM hemorrhage,” said Dr. Price. “The talk created further discussion about the translatability of QSM findings in MRI systems of various field strengths (e.g., for mice and humans). Our preclinical studies continue to show that using focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier should be safe in patients with CCMs. Beyond QSM, further development of treatment efficacy biomarkers is needed for clinical trial design and implementation.”
Connie Lee, CEO and founder of the US-based Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation organization, presented “The Patient Voice in Research and Policy.” She mentioned Dr. Price’s work in this talk as well as during the Future Directions for CCM Research and Patient Care session.
The Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation is motivated to develop drug therapies as well as targeted therapeutic approaches (such as focused ultrasound) to treat CCM. Ms. Lee noted the organization has been supporting the development of a future clinical trial at the University of Virginia that would test the safety of focused ultrasound–mediated blood-brain barrier opening for the treatment of CCM.
See the meeting’s entire Scientific Program.
Next Meeting: This was the first European Cavernoma Meeting. The second meeting will be held in Italy in the spring of 2028, with the exact location to be determined.
The Foundation thanks Dr. Price for submitting this meeting report.
European Molecular Imaging Meeting (EMIM) 2026
EMIM is the annual meeting of the European Society for Molecular Imaging. Its 21st anniversary event was held March 24–27, 2026, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with approximately 1,000 attendees. The conference format featured 4 plenary lectures, 30 parallel sessions (original, unpublished science), 4 educational sessions, 10 study groups, and 424 posters.
Katherine Ferrara, PhD, professor of radiology and the division chief for the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford University, presented one of the four plenary lectures. Her talk was titled “Optimizing Drug and Gene Delivery with Molecular Imaging.”
Elisa Konofagou, PhD, the Robert and Margaret Hariri Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Radiology (Physics) at Columbia University, gave an invited lecture titled, “Brain Drug Delivery through the Blood-Brain Barrier for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease and Cancer with Real-Time Cavitation Imaging.”
“I was pleased to see researchers from many of the Focused Ultrasound Centers of Excellence at this meeting,” said Chrit Moonen, PhD, the Foundation’s co-director of the Research and Education Team, who attended EMIM 2026 and chaired one of its scientific sessions. “This meeting is moving from mostly preclinical work toward an increasing number of translational studies. The wide variety of imaging modalities, including nuclear medicine, ultrasound imaging, MRI, and CT is at the heart of EMIM. This year, I was impressed by the advances in imaging of the immune system (using radiolabeled antibodies and nanobodies) and drug distribution (using drug radiolabeling). The immune system imaging techniques have many applications across the field of focused ultrasound, such as for studying the abscopal effect.”
Specific Imaging of Immune Cell Dynamics Using Novel Tracer Strategies
Dr. Moonen also learned about the work achieved by the European Immune-Image Project, which aimed to develop a novel noninvasive imaging strategy for assessing immune cell activation and dynamics in oncology and inflammatory disease, in animal models and in patients.
Abstract Presentations
Beyond Dr. Ferrara’s plenary talk and Dr. Konofagou’s invited lecture, the following presentations may also be of interest to the focused ultrasound community (each full presentation can be accessed by clicking its link):
Session: FS 02 – Drug Delivery to the Brain
- FS 02-02. Brain Drug Delivery through the Blood-Brain Barrier for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease and Cancer with Real-Time Cavitation Imaging by Elisa Konofagou
Session: FS 05 – Deep Tissue Imaging
- FS 05-01. From Light to Sound: Functional and Molecular Photoacoustic Imaging of Deep Tissues by Junjie Yao
Session: PS 12 – Probes | Cancer
- PS 12-06. Multi-Imageable Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles in Combination with Focused Ultrasound for the Theranostic Treatment of Brain Tumours by Paul Cressey, Chris Payne, Amelia Claxton, Benedetta Arno, Antonios Pouliopoulos, and Maya Thanou
Session: PS 16 – Technologies Across Modalities | Late-Breaking Session
- PS 16-02. OMRITUS: Optoacoustic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Transcranial Ultrasound Brain Stimulation by Yi Chen, Zhenyue Chen, Hector Estrada, Irmak Gezginer, Hikari A. Yoshihara, Diana R. Kindler, Chunqi Qian, David C. Zhu, Shy Shoham, and Daniel Razansky
Session: PS 20 – In Vitro Models
- PS 20-06. Biofabrication of a 3D Perfusable Vessel for USMB Therapy by Estee K. Grandidier, Rebekka Le Comte, Hermen de Roo, Guillaume Lajoinie, Clemens Bos, Riccardo Levato, and Roel Deckers
Session: PS 22 – Reporter Genes
- PS 22-06. Gas Vesicles in a New Light: Multimodal Contrast for Ultrasound, Reflection and Third Harmonic Generation Microscopy by Martina Giampetraglia, Lucas Freidel, Marjorie Buss, Anna Ohmayer, Max Zimmermann, André Martins, Mikhail Shapiro, and Bettina Weigelin
Session: PS 23 – Immuno-Oncology
- PS 23-05. PET with 89Zr-DFO-pembrolizumab Reveals that Focused Ultrasound Increases the Uptake of Pembrolizumab into Lung Cancer Brain Metastases by Stephanie Borlase, Laura Brady, Madeline K. Brown, Warren Foltz, Zhongli Cai, and Raymond M. Reilly
Session: PW-15 – Brain Structure & Receptors
- NEURO 004. How Does BBB Disruption Influence the Brain Kinetic of PET Radiotracers? by Elisa-Racky NDiaye, Thomas Ador, Lim-Anna Sieu, Sarah Leterrier, Sophie Amargier-Barrial, Maud Goislard, Laurène Jourdain, Sébastien Goutal, Anthony Novell, and Nicolas Tournier
Session: PW-17 – Neuroimaging Tools in Disease Models I
- NEURO 058. 89Zr-Immuno-PET to Evaluate Focused Ultrasound (FUS)–Enhanced Brain Delivery of an Amyloid-β (Aβ) Targeting Antibody in an AD Mouse Model by Pedro M. Pereira, Daniel A. Vazquez-Matias, Ayodeji A.-R. Asuni, Allan Jensen, Benny Bang-Andersen, Mario Ries, Daniëlle Vugts, and Wissam Beaino
Session: PW-20 – Immuno-Oncology
- ONCO 047. Towards In Vivo PET Tracking of IL13Rα2 CAR-T Cells Delivered to the Brain by Focused Ultrasound by Céline Chevaleyre, Hamid R. Mirzaei, Noor Ali, Grace Kim, and Simone Krebs
Session: PW-25 – Ultrasound/Optoacoustic | Quantification
- TECH 082. PyField: An Open-Source Acoustic Simulation Platform for Next-Generation Read/Write Ultrasound Systems in Neuroscience by Deyver E. Rivera, Charlie Demené, Mickael Tanter
Session: PW-38 – Neuroimaging Tools in Disease Models II
- NEURO 069. DCE-MRI Gadolinium Leakage Assessment in a Novel Mouse Model of Ultrasound-Microbubble Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening by Shakira A. van der Panne, Bram Coolen, Erik N. Bakker, Louise van der Weerd, Helga E. de Vries, and Gustav J. Strijkers
Session: PW-40 – Target Expression, Molecular Pathways & Therapy
- ONCO 067. Preclinical Evaluation Combined Focused Ultrasound (FUS) and Immunotherapy Strategy in Immune-Resistant Glioblastomas by Alix Gonand, Càtia Oliveira, Thomas Ador, Caroline Denis, Benoit Jego, Anthony Novell, and Charles Truillet
- ONCO 068. In Vivo PET/MR Imaging Assessment of the Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling after 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Sonodynamic Therapy in Orthotopic Murine Glioma Models by Tim Brederecke, Zeynep Özdemir, Selina Rudnik, Lisa Knörr, Nadine C. Heiden, Wiktor Czajka, Michael Schäfers, Michael Müther, Philipp Backhaus, and Cristina Barca
Search the Meeting Program for your own key words or indications.
Next meeting: EMIM 2027 will be held March 9–12 in Bologna, Italy.
See the EMIM 2026 Meeting Website
North American Gene & Cell Therapy Summit
The 2026 Cell & Gene Therapy Summit, organized by Charles River Laboratories, was held in Boston on March 26. The conference convened approximately 70 gene and cell therapy developers, contract research organizations, investors, and academic partners for a focused day of presentations, panels, and networking.
The event covered the full development arc, from vector and capsid selection through manufacturing, clinical trial design, and investment, with delivery consistently emerging as the central unmet challenge across sessions.
Frédéric Padilla, PhD, director of the Foundation’s Gene and Cell Therapy Program, was invited to present a talk about positioning focused ultrasound as a platform delivery technology for gene and cell therapy because it is noninvasive, targeted, repeatable, and compatible with both viral and non-viral modalities. His presentation included preclinical data demonstrating dramatic improvements in adeno-associated virus (AAV) biodistribution and transduction in the brain and heart. He also introduced the Foundation’s active $4 million gene and cell therapy research portfolio (14 projects), which currently includes a first-in-human clinical trial of focused ultrasound–enabled cell therapy delivery for brain tumors. That research study is currently recruiting participants at the University of Virginia.
“Beyond the presentation, the event was an important step toward focused ultrasound becoming a recognized delivery technology for gene and cell companies that are facing delivery challenges,” said Dr. Padilla. “In fact, several developers approached me after my presentation and expressed interest in exploring focused ultrasound as a delivery solution for their programs.”