PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: September 25th, 2017

Time: 10 am 

Location: Engineered Biosystems EBB 4029

Committee members:

Stanislav Emelianov, PhD (Advisor)

Francisco Robles, PhD

Brooks Lindsey, PhD

Lily Yang, PhD

Baowei Fei, PhD

Comprehensive diagnosis and therapy monitoring of breast cancer using photoacoustic imaging and multifunctional nanoparticles

Despite advances in prevention, detection and treatment of cancer, this disease remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. Although mortality rates have decreased over the last two decades, efforts to achieve comprehensive diagnoses and effective treatments encounter obstacles due to lack of technology or excessive morbidity. Furthermore, there is a need to monitor treatment outcomes, in order to adapt therapies to patient-specific responses. The goal of the proposed work is to design a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic approach for cancerous lesions using ultrasound and photoacoustic (US/PA) imaging, augmented with nanoparticle contrast agents. Specifically, the work evaluates the use of US/PA imaging for lymph node metastasis detection in breast cancer murine models. Additionally, US/PA is used as a temperature monitoring tool during photothermal therapy, and serves to monitor treatment outcome and molecular changes due to targeted therapy. In this study, the interaction of multi-functional nanoparticles in tumor environments are explored to elucidate valid diagnostic approaches and optimal therapeutic dosages. In vitro and in vivo imaging studies will be performed to validate this multi-functional technique. Overall, the approach is expected to identify cancer based on functional and molecular changes, and allow for monitoring during treatments such as molecular therapy and photothermal therapy.