Alexander Oraevsky

Alexander Oraevsky - University of Houston, USA

Alexander A. Oraevsky – TomoWave Laboratories and University of Houston, Houston, Texas. Dr. Alexander A. Oraevsky obtained a doctorate in laser spectroscopy and laser biophysics from the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1986. In 1992, as Whitaker Fellow, he joined the faculty at Rice University.  Prior to his leadership position at TomoWave Laboratories, he was a Chief Scientific Officer at Seno Medical Instruments, Vice President of R&D at Fairway Medical Technologies, Director of the Optoacoustic Imaging and Spectroscopy Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and an Assistant Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.  Presently he holds several adjunct positions including Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Houston.  He is a pioneer in the field of biomedical opto-acoustics.  Alexander is the inventor of 21 patents, has published 10 book chapters and over 200 scientific papers dealing with novel laser technologies applicable in biology and medicine.  Dr. Oraevsky is the recipient of multiple honors and awards, including Berthold Leibinger Innovations Prize. Research of Dr. Oraevsky was sponsored with $17M in grants and contracts.  He is the founder and Chair of the largest conference in the field of laser optoacoustic ultrasonic imaging under the auspices of SPIE. He serves on multiple review and expert panels including NIH, EU Commission and Canada National Research Council.

Research stay at UC3M:  DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY

Project:

“Integrated Multispectral Optoacoustic and Laser Ultrasound Imaging System based on High Power Diode LASERs”

High mortality rate of cancer in Europe is related to the pathophysiology of the disease, which progresses silently for extended periods of time until the appearance of any recognizable symptoms. Statistics indicate that detection of cancer using imaging systems during the early stages of disease would offer a much greater chance of survival. 

The objective of the project is to assemble a laboratory prototype of the combined laser optoacoustic and laser ultrasonic imaging system and characterize this new medical imaging modality in tissue phantoms realistically replicating optical and acoustic properties of cancerous and normal biological tissues and vasculature.  The proposed system will utilize a number of innovations recently patented by Dr. Oraevsky, including advanced ultrasound imaging method based laser-induced ultrasonic pulses that can enable exceptional contrast, resolution and versatility of the prototype system, specifically ultrawide band ultrasonic CMUT transducers with high sensitivity and bandwidth; novel diode lasers with fiberoptic output and electronics based on the most advanced microcomponents and designs, and software that controls operation of the imager. Not only the proposed device can revolutionize the future of the clinical diagnostics of cancer, its components can find numerous additional applications in biophotonics devices.