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Gene therapies have been shown to be a promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease, but they cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To address these issues, researchers created a novel gene therapy method and then used focused ultrasound to deliver it across the BBB in a preclinical model. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed that the newly inserted genes were being expressed in one of the two targeted brain regions.

SIR held its 2022 Annual Meeting in Boston from June 11–16. There were seven scientific presentations on focused ultrasound, and two manufacturers in the field participated. A Foundation-sponsored reception and several educational sessions throughout the meeting focused on cultivating the next generation of interventional radiologists.

Thomas Tiennot, a PhD student at Physics for Medicine Paris, was awarded a Grand Prize in the i-PhD contest, which recognizes research that could lead to the creation of a start-up company. His research focused on using a custom, 3-D printed acoustic lens coupled with a single ultrasound transducer for transcranial neuromodulation in patients with drug-resistant depression. Physics for Medicine Paris is a Focused Ultrasound Center of Excellence and is led by Mickael Tanter, PhD, and Jean-François Aubry, PhD.

Liquid biopsy is a less-invasive method to analyze non-solid tissue, most commonly blood, to diagnose and monitor cancer. Early data suggest focused ultrasound can amplify the presence of biomarkers, making them easier to detect and measure in the bloodstream. BloodPAC partnered with the Foundation and C2i Genomics to host a virtual workshop, “New Frontiers in Liquid Biopsy: Personalized Medicine for Brain Cancer”.