The physics of light and sound and its translation in nephrology, hepatology, and critical care
Eno Hysi, PhD
Nicole and Thor Eaton-Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto
Abstract: Light and sound offer complementary means to probe living tissue: light is sensitive to blood, oxygenation, and molecular composition, while sound provides depth, structure, and portability. In this talk, I will discuss how these physical principles can be combined through photoacoustic imaging and quantitative ultrasound to create clinically useful tools for translational medicine. Drawing on work from St. Michael’s Hospital’s Translational Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging Laboratory (TUPIL), I will highlight how these approaches are being used to assess kidney transplant quality, monitor ischemia-reperfusion injury, and track lung injury in critical care. By pairing optical contrast with ultrasonic detection, these methods enable non-invasive imaging of tissue oxygenation, perfusion, and microstructural remodeling at clinically relevant depths. I will also emphasize the practical physics challenges of translation, including signal generation, depth penetration, workflow compatibility, and repeatable bedside deployment. Together, these examples illustrate how the physics of light and sound can move beyond the lab to address pressing problems in organ injury, transplantation, and critical care.
Bio: Dr. Eno Hysi is the Nicole and Thor Eaton – Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto and a Staff Scientist at the Keenan Research Center at St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Hysi directs the Translational Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging Laboratory (TUPIL) levering fundamental biophysics discoveries towards clinical translation. TUPIL houses multidisciplinary trainees and clinical fellows in the areas of biophysics, biomedical imaging, nephrology, critical care, and hepatology.