Speakers

María Helguera, Assistant Professor at the Center for Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, holds a BS degree in physics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, (B.S., 1984), an MS degree in electrical engineering from the University of Rochester (M.S., 1990) and a PhD degree in imaging science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, (Ph.D., 1999). She did her doctoral work developing methods for ultrasound tissue characterization. Professor Helguera is the principal investigator in the Biomedical and Materials Multimodal Imaging Lab at the Center for Imaging Science. Her lab's current research is centered on using high-frequency ultrasound to image and characterize bioengineered tissues and biofilms.



Andrew Berger, Associate Professor of Optics, holds physics degrees from Yale (B.S., 1991) and MIT (Ph.D., 1998). He did his doctoral work developing methods of blood analysis using laser spectroscopy. Prior to coming to the Institute of Optics, he spent two years at the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Center in Irvine, CA, building handheld systems to analyze breast tissue content.

Professor Berger's area of interest is biomedical optics, specifically spectroscopic diagnostic techniques. His group's present research is centered includes Raman spectroscopy of oral bacteria, single-cell Raman spectroscopy, multimodal microscopy (Raman plus elastic scatter), and near-infrared spectroscopy of hemodynamics in the human brain.

More generally, Professor Berger seeks to apply lasers and spectroscopic methods (absorption, fluorescence, Raman, and scattering spectroscopies) to problems of medical interest. As offshoots of this basic thrust, other interests include: (1) exploring fundamental aspects of light scattering and diffusion in turbid (e.g. biological) media; and (2) developing novel spectroscopic techniques, through both instrumentation and analytical modeling, that extend the range of biomedical phenomena which can be studied using light.

The proximity of the Institute of Optics to the Medical Center offers opportunities for close interaction with clinical collaborators and patients. Professor Berger also holds a secondary appointment in the department of Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Andrzej Krol received his Ph. D. in Physics from Warsaw University, Poland. He worked in Physics Departments at Warsaw University, SUNY Stony Brook and SUNY Buffalo. He is board certified (American Board of Radiology) in Radiological Physics with subspecialty in Nuclear Medicine Physics. He is currently an Associate Professor of Radiology and Medical Physics, and Director of in vivo micro imaging core laboratory at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Current interests include those of CT, SPECT and PET tomographic reconstruction, ultrafast laser-based x-ray source development for biomedical applications, x-ray phase-contrast micro-CT, noninvasive breast cancer detection, multimodality and intramodlity non-rigid image registration and fusion.

Bernard Hallatt is Director of Manufacturing Operations, Scottville, for Coopervision. He has been with Coopervision since 1979 holding positions as an R&D engineer, in quality assurance/microbiology, as Manager Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance, and as Director of Quality Operations. He has bachelors degree in biology and minors in chemistry and philosophy from LeMoyne College and resides in Spencerport, NY with his wife and three children.

Debra Vent serves as Senior Project Manager overseeing a portfolio including pre-clinical to Phase III studies across a variety of therapeutic areas. She is responsible for managing all aspects of the projects in this portfolio, from start up to close out including developing project proposals, creating and implementing project plans for set up through analysis and managing deliveries and project changes. Debra serves as the primary client interface for clients and for VirtualScopics’ joint steering committee and partner alliance. Prior to joining VirtualScopics, Debra served in a variety of imaging leadership roles with Eastman Kodak and Xerox Corporation as an Optical Engineer, Imaging Scientist and Research & Development Project Leader. Debra earned holds a BS in Optics from the University of Rochester and MS in Imaging Science from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has several imaging patents and publications.

Peter Carellas is currently President and CEO of Xcitex Inc, a company he co-founded in 1998 to promote the convergence of slow-motion video and non-invasive motion analysis. Xcitex is now a world leader in the development of video-based instrumentation for biomechanics, locomotion and kinesiology. In 2006, Mr. Carellas was awarded an Emmy award by the National Association of Broadcasters for outstanding technical achievement in the areas of sports broadcasting, primarily for his work in real-time motion analysis of golfers. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Optics from the University of Rochester, and lectures regularly at various universities on video-based motion capture and motion analysis. He has several imaging patents and publications.

Stephen McAleavey received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester in 2002. From 2001 to 2004 he was a Research Associate with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University. Since 2004 he has been an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester. His research is the general area of biomedical ultrasound imaging, with particular focus on the use of low-frequency shear waves to image mechanical properties of tissue. He is a member of IEEE, BMES, and AIUM.