ECE SEMINAR: Advanced Engineering Toolbox for Thermal Medicine Optimization: from Multiphysics-Based Smart Radiometry to Thermally-Enhanced Immunotherapy

Temperature is a fundamental parameter in human physiology and strongly affects the treatment of a variety of diseases. From rapid brain cooling after traumatic brain injury to hyperthermic/ablation treatments for cancer therapy, thermal medicine has the potential to dramatically improve patients' lives. However, the widespread use of temperature-based diagnostics and therapies has been hindered by the unavailability of inexpensive, convenient and reliable thermal medicine devices. Fortunately the recent advances in microwave, ultrasound and optical technologies, multiphysics modeling and machine learning, are offering engineers and clinicians novel tools to exploit the numerous benefits of temperature. After reviewing some of the temperature-based clinical applications, I will focus the talk on two recent technologies developed to enhance cancer treatments. The antitumor benefits of immune-blockade inhibitors can be enhanced dramatically by thermally ablate the primary tumor. This synergy is optimally enhanced with the use of nanostar-mediated photothermal therapy: the precise thermal ablation triggers a strong immune response now freed from blockades, while the hyperthermic region boost the immune memory, resulting in both eradication of metastases and long-term vaccination.

ZOOM: https://duke.zoom.us/j/91975970979 pwd=bzg5akV3ZXVPWHA0TWU0S0tYMTQvQT09;
PASSCODE: 832185