Abstract
The necessity for non-invasive, inexpensive, and label-free sensing and imaging modality to both diagnose and monitor treatment has led to renewed interest in the potential of optical-based sensing and imaging. One example where optical-based sensing and imaging can be used for monitoring is in laser surgery. Laser surgery offers several advantages over conventional surgery, such as precise and small cuts, functional cut geometry, accelerated healing, and less trauma. However, the laser surgery system is considered a “dumb” system because it cannot provide information about the tissue being cut, thus damaging important tissue (e.g., nerve, blood vessels) cannot be avoided. Optical-based sensing and imaging should allow real-time feedback, control, and guidance during a precise laser cut. The presentation will start with a brief introduction to optical-based sensing and imaging. I will then focus on the optical imaging modalities used for treatment monitoring (e.g., OCT, Photoacoustic). Finally, I will present my current work (the MIRACLE project) and share my insight on developing an optical imaging platform for diagnostic and treatment monitoring.
Short Bio
Azhar Zam received his B.Sc. degree in medical physics from the University of Indonesia, Indonesia, in 2004, M.Sc. degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Lübeck, Germany, in 2007, and the Ph.D. degree in advanced optical technologies from the Friedrich- Alexander University Erlangen–Nuremberg, Germany, with the focus on optical imaging and feedback for tissue-specific laser surgery, in 2011. He held several research positions at the University of Waterloo, Canada, the National University of Ireland Galway, the University of California at Davis, CA, USA and Ryerson University, Canada. He joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Switzerland, in 2016, as an Assistant Professor, where he founded and leads the Biomedical Laser and Optics Group (BLOG). He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, books, and patents. His main research interests focus on the development of smart devices for medical therapy, imaging, diagnostics and monitoring using novel optical technologies, including smart laser surgery, optical coherence tomography (OCT), photoacoustic imaging and spectroscopy, LIBS, AI-aided optical diagnostics, optical-based wearable sensors and miniaturized systems.