Description:

“Advances in functional optical coherence tomography: translation of F-OCT technology from bench to bedside”

Abstract:

Functional optical coherence tomography (OCT), a technology that we developed 25 years ago, is one of the fastest-growing areas of biomedical optics with numerous potential clinical applications. In this presentation, I will describe the latest advancements in functional OCT (F-OCT), which encompass Doppler OCT, OCT angiography, and optical coherence elastography. Furthermore, I will report on the development of acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography (ARF-OCE) technology, aimed at characterizing the biomechanical properties of tissues using Doppler OCT. Understanding tissue mechanical properties offers valuable medical insights for disease diagnosis and prognosis. The ARF-OCE technology will have a broad range of clinical applications, including imaging and diagnosing of ophthalmic diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.  I will review recent advancements in F-OCT and discuss several research projects conducted in my laboratory, focusing on technology development and the translation of F-OCT into clinical practice. Lastly, I will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with translational research.

Brief Biography:

Dr. Zhongping Chen is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the OCT Laboratory at the University of California, Irvine.  He is a Co-founder and Chairman of OCT Medical Imaging Inc.  Dr. Chen received his B.S. degree in Applied Physics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1982, his M. S. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1987, and his Ph.D. degree in Applied Physics from Cornell University in 1993. 

Dr. Chen and his research group have been pioneers in the development of Doppler optical coherence tomography, a technology that simultaneously provides high-resolution 3-D images of tissue structure and vascular flow dynamics. These functional extensions of OCT offer contrast enhancements and enable mapping of several clinically important parameters. Additionally, his group has developed a variety of endoscopic and intravascular rotational and linear miniature probes for OCT and MPM imaging, successfully translating this technology into clinical applications. With over 300 peer-reviewed papers and review articles, Dr. Chen has made significant contributions to the fields of biomaterials, biosensors, and biomedical imaging. He also holds a number of patents in these areas.

Dr. Chen is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), a Fellow of SPIE, and a Fellow of the Optica.