Quantum Now LLC: Biomedical Engineering, Ultrasound, Neuroscience, Regulatory Standards.

Selected Projects

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Disease Treatment: INSTITUTIONS: Riverside Research Institute, Columbia University; FUNDING AGENCY: Riverside Research Institute Fund for Biomedical Engineering Research; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2006/2008; ROLE: Lead Investigator; SUMMARY: This work explored bioeffective ultrasound. A modular architecture for computer models of ultrasound propagation and bioeffects was developed, acoustic radiation force was used to manipulate neuronal tissues, and HIFU ablation experiments were extended to the atrial septum and valves ex vivo.
Dynamic Imaging of Brain Function: INSTITUTIONS: NIH Clinical Center; FUNDING AGENCY: National Research Council (USA); PERIODS OF SUPPORT: 1985/1986; ROLE: Lead Investigator; SUMMARY: Visualization of the naturally occuring magnetic fields accompanying neural activity were visualized (magnetoencephalography), and a solution was found to the inverse problem of recreating the source from the field measurements. An early dynamic 3-D map of brain activity was produced.
Particle Beam Imaging: INSTITUTIONS: Syracuse University; FUNDING AGENCY: Department of Energy (USA); PERIODS OF SUPPORT: 1989/1991; ROLE: Co-investigator; SUMMARY: Computer simulations were developed of particle (antiproton) beam imaging of human tissue, leading to techniques for assessing image quality in noisy targets, and for optimizing signal/dose.
Control Circuitry and the Visual Cortex: INSTITUTIONS: Johns Hopkins Hospital; FUNDING AGENCY: National Eye Institute (USA); PERIODS OF SUPPORT: 1977/1978; ROLE: Co-Investigator; SUMMARY: Eye motion control studies demonstrated Pursuit After-Nystagmus, and the equivalence of fault-tolerant plasticity and macro creation (learning).
Integrated Ultrasonic Systems for Non-invasive Therapy: INSTITUTIONS: Riverside Research Institute, Columbia University, Cornell University, Spectrasonics, Inc.; FUNDING AGENCY: National Cancer Institute and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2001/2007; ROLE: Lead Investigator; SUMMARY: This partnership developed a comprehensive framework for ultrasonic therapy including numerical simulations, prototype development, monitoring methods, and experiments. A new ablation treatment for ventricular tachycardia was developed in animal models.
Validation and Extension of the Theory of Ultrasound Scattering in Tissue: INSTITUTION: Riverside Research Institute; FUNDING AGENCY: National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2007/2008; ROLE: Co-Investigator; SUMMARY: Ultrasound traveling through biological tissue is scattered by the tissue. The relationship between the frequency spectrum of the detected ultrasound signal and the mechanical tissue properties was extended to limited frequency bands, including harmonics.
Novel Ultrasonic Imaging of Brachytherapy Seeds: INSTITUTION: Riverside Research Institute; FUNDING AGENCY: National Cancer Institute; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2004/2008; ROLE: Co-Investigator; SUMMARY: Ultrasonic imaging methods were developed that overcome the limitations of conventional ultrasonic instruments now used for imaging the prostate and implanted seeds.
Ultrasound-Enhanced Delivery of Medications to the Eye: INSTITUTIONS: Cornell University, Riverside Research Institute; FUNDING AGENCY: National Eye Institute; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2007/2008; ROLE: Co-Investigator; SUMMARY: Sub-megahertz ultrasound was found to increase the permeability of the ocular sclera, thereby enhancing diffusion of drug macromolecules.
Ultrasonic Safety and Therapy in Ophthalmology: INSTITUTION: Riverside Research Institute; FUNDING AGENCY: National Eye Institute; PERIOD OF SUPPORT: 2001/2006; ROLE: Co-Investigator; SUMMARY: This project elucidated the safety-related and therapeutic effects of ultrasound on the eye, particularly the safety of new advanced imaging modalities and the treatment options associated with ultrasonic hyperthermia and ablation.