BME Research Seminar: Preclinical research with light and sound: "Shear wave imaging and photoacoustic imaging of 3D cell culture systems"

BME Research Seminar: Preclinical research with light and sound: "Shear wave imaging and photoacoustic imaging of 3D cell culture systems"

Speaker: Professor Pai-Chi Li, TBF Chair in Biotechnology, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University

Date: 16 Aug 2023 (Wednesday)

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 noon (HK Time)

Mode: Hybrid

Venue: Room FJ302, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Zoom: https://bit.ly/3XZ2lxO (Meeting ID: 969 6541 1487; Passcode: 009818)

Overview of the Lecture
Ultrasound has been widely used for preclinical research on small animals and 3D cell culture systems. To fully exploit the value of preclinical research, new imaging and therapeutic technologies are needed. To this end, recent works on preclinical ultrasound in two particular areas will be covered in this lecture: acoustics-based theranostic technologies and shear wave elasticity imaging. The acoustics-based theranostic technologies regard the combination of ultrasound and photoacoustic/photothermal effects for synergistic delivery of gold nanoparticles using multifunctional microbubbles/nanodroplets for enhanced plasmonic photothermal therapy. In the second part of the lecture, we will present the applications of shear wave elasticity imaging to 3D cell culture systems. The primary motivation is that conventional shear wave imaging methods do not provide adequate accuracy and resolution; thus, new approaches are needed. 3D cell culture systems have been used as an effective tool for preclinical research as they represent a more realistic model for cells than conventional 2D systems. Specifically, spatial dynamics of the extracellular matrix provide a wealth of information concerning the collective activities and intercellular crosstalk of adhering cells. Shear wave elasticity imaging methods have been developed for 3D cell culture systems, and this lecture will present research progress. It will be clear to the audience that the role of ultrasound in preclinical research is significant and indispensable.

About the Speaker

Pai-Chi Li received a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from National Taiwan University in 1987 and an M.S. and Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1990 and 1994, respectively, both in electrical engineering: systems. He joined Acuson Corporation, Mountain View, CA, as a member of the Technical Staff in June 1994. His work in Acuson was primarily in medical ultrasonic imaging system design for cardiology and general imaging applications. In August 1997, he returned to the Department of Electrical Engineering at National Taiwan University, where he is currently a Distinguished Professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics. He is also the TBF Chair in Biotechnology. He served as Founding Director of the Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics from 2006-2009 and Founding Director of Yong-Lin Biomedical Engineering Center. He was also the Associate Dean of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from 2015-2018 and the Vice President for Research and Development of National Taiwan University from 2019-2023.

Prof. Li's current research interests include biomedical ultrasound and medical device innovation. He is IEEE Fellow, IAMBE Fellow, AIUM Fellow, and SPIE Fellow. He was also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering and is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief Editor of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, and on the Editorial Board of Ultrasonic Imaging and Photoacoustics. He has won numerous awards, including the Distinguished Research Award, the Dr Wu Dayou Research Award from the National Science Council, and Distinguished Industrial Collaboration Award, and the Academia Award from the Ministry of Education. He also received the IFMBE Vladimir K. Zworykin Award in 2018 and IFMBE Otto Schmitt Award in 2022.