May 19, 2011 - Clemens Alt

Optical Methods for Retinal Laser Therapy and Imaging

Lasers increasingly find their way into therapeutic and diagnostic devices in ophthalmology. Here, we discuss two research directions that we have been pursuing over the past years.

Selective laser targeting of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) is a novel treatment modality for retinal diseases associated with an initial RPE dysfunction. The treatment limits the exposure time of RPE cells to a few microseconds in order to minimize heat diffusion into adjacent photoreceptors and avoid their thermal destruction. As a result, selective laser lesions are invisible in slit lamp examination, leaving the ophthalmologist without any feedback about the success of the laser irradiation. We developed an online feedback mechanism based on cavitation detection to ensure correct dosimetry for efficient irradiation while preventing over-treatment. The feasibility of identifying RPE cell death by detecting intracellular cavitation was demonstrated in rabbits with a laser scanner that monitors backscattering of the treatment laser beam during selective laser targeting.

One obstacle to developing treatments for retinal disease more efficiently is the fact that most current knowledge of retinal processes in health and disease has been gained from ex vivo examination. However, the retina is, due to the transparency of the ocular media, accessible to optical in vivo imaging. Therefore, we have developed a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) specifically for retinal imaging in the mouse eye. Using three laser wavelengths and a video-rate scanner, the instrument is able to acquire three-color images in real-time. That means that three distinct cell populations can be tracked simultaneously and repeatedly. The instrument is able to resolve retinal microstructure, such as retinal ganglion cells and microglia, the retinal neurons and immune cells, respectively. The effect of raised intra-ocular pressure (i.e. glaucoma) is investigated in retinal ganglion cells. We study the spatio-temporal response of microglia to retinal injury models of gamma irradiation and focal laser injury employing real-time and time-lapse imaging.

 

Read more: May 19, 2011 - Clemens Alt

April 21, 2011 - Thomas Baer

Engineering Entrepreneurship

OSA Presidential Speaker

I will present several models for financing sustainable innovation in the private sector, based on examples of photonics startups in Silicon Valley.

I will also discuss the technology transfer and licensing philosophy at Stanford which has led to great success in translating new science and technology into viable commercial products.

Read more: April 21, 2011 - Thomas Baer

April 12, 2011 - Jack Derby

Report Card:
How are Local Entrepreneurs Succeeding or Failing

Sponsored by IEEE ENET
co-sponsored by Chinese Union Technology Enterprises (CUTE) and New England Section of the Optical Society of America (NESOSA)

Meeting Overview 

Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network in conjunction with NESOSA invite you to bring your stories for a night of networking and a talk by Jack Derby of Derby Management and Common Angels on Tuesday evening, April 12, 2011 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. The event will take place at the NERD – Microsoft, New England Research & Development Center One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142 - 11th Floor Commons Room, and the charge is $10 for all attendees, with a light dinner and soft drinks included, catered by Off the Vine caterers.

Read more: April 12, 2011 - Jack Derby

March 17, 2011 - Student/Industry Forum

Student/Industry Forum

Location: Boston University

Update: View Slides from this event.

The NES/OSA in association with the OSA Student Chapter at  Boston University, the IEEE Photonics Society and the Optical Society of America will be holding the second annual Forum on Optics Jobs in New England. The optics industry is invited to join area students to talk about what graduates can look forward to when they have completed their formal education. The program will include speakers sharing their insights and experience making the transition from student to industry.

Forum Speakers will include:

  • William Nelson - Retired
  • Keith Hinrichs - MIT Lincoln Labs
  • Gregg Favalora - Optics for Hire

The meeting will begin with networking including refreshments and a light meal, followed by a panel of up to four 10 min talks and a Q&A session, finishing with time for further discussions. Our industry panel will draw speakers from New England's diverse industrial base such as Aerospace, Metrology, Lighting and Bio-Medical.

We encourage our regular members to bring their stories, feel free to share any information about your companies or institutions, and we welcome postings for jobs or internships.

Read more: March 17, 2011 - Student/Industry Forum

February 17, 2011 - Seth Riskin

Light and the MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies

This presentation will look at light as it was developed as an artistic medium at the MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS) 1967 - 2003. CAVS was a place where artists collaborated with scientists and engineers in developing technologies for purposes of artistic expression. As a medium and a common denominator between artists, scientists and engineers, light was central to the founding concept, activities and objectives of CAVS. Technologies such as laser, plasma, holography, video and strobe were pioneered as artistic media by artists and engineers such as Gyorgy Kepes, Otto Piene, Harold Edgerton, Stephen Benton, Harriet Casdin-Silver and Krzysztof Wodiczko--groundbreaking work that expanded the language of the visual arts and   impacts thought and practice in the arts today.
Read more: February 17, 2011 - Seth Riskin

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