Key Points
- The 2023 Winter School on Therapeutic Ultrasound was held March 19–24 in Les Houches, France.
- The school explores the breadth and depth of the field of therapeutic ultrasound.
- To provide a unique learning experience, registration is capped at 50 students and each topic is presented by a world authority in the field.
The 2023 Winter School on Therapeutic Ultrasound was held March 19–24 in Les Houches, France, in the French Alps near Chamonix. Organized by Gail ter Haar, PhD (London, United Kingdom), Vera Khokhlova, PhD (Moscow, Russia), and Jean-François Aubry, PhD (Paris, France), the school is designed to explore the breadth and depth of the field of therapeutic ultrasound. To provide a unique learning experience, registration is capped at 50 students and each topic is presented by a world authority in the field. The week-long meeting provides many opportunities for individual questions and discussion.
The school’s packed program included basic and advanced lectures on acoustics, biophysics, ultrasound, MRI, blood-brain barrier opening, tumor properties, histology, neuromodulation, commercialization, drug delivery, immunotherapy, and experimental and clinical trial design. Introductory talks on the physics and biological processes behind therapeutic ultrasound were followed by the presentation of many clinical applications.
“It is exciting to see the younger generation of researchers interacting live with recognized authorities, in a pleasant but very studious setting,” said Dr. Aubry. “The communicative enthusiasm of the young people and their desire to return as soon as possible to their laboratory to put into practice the ideas they had during the school motivates us to continue to organize exciting events, especially after the interruption due to COVID. Positive feedback about the school has even come back to us from mentors, who have told us that the students are transformed and more motivated than ever.”
The Winter School began in 2011 and has been running and has been running biennially for more than ten years (except for 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic). Attendees enjoy the alpine setting, networking with other students, and the lively discussions.