Currently, my research is focused on the development of emerging technologies for the biomedical science sector including novel methods for disease detection and cancer management.

However, the technology may find wider application in the material science and life science sectors. Specifically, we are investigating the potential of interstitial thermal therapy as an effective modality for the treatment of disease, including the thermal destruction of small solid tumors. This minimally invasive procedure involves implanting thin, flexible optical fibers (coupled to a laser) into the tissue and heating to above 60 ºC which denatures proteins and results in tissue damage. We are developing 1) accurate treatment planning algorithms to optimize clinical protocols, 2) on-line monitoring strategies to control treatments and 3) novel imaging modalities (i.e. optoacoustic imaging) to assess treatment outcome. We are currently focusing our efforts on the treatment of prostate cancer. However, the general goal of this work is to optimize and control interstitial thermal therapy for a variety of tissue pathologies.

Click here for further information on the Biomedical Optics Research Group.

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer, I. Alex Vitkin and William M. Whelan. "Radiance detection of non-scattering inclusions in turbid media", Biomedical Optics Express, 3(11), pp. 3001-3011, 2012. pdf

Serge Grabtchak and William M. Whelan, “Separation of absorption and scattering properties of turbid media using relative spectrally resolved cw radiance measurements”, Biomedical Optics Express, 3 (10), pp. 2371–2380, 2012. pdf

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer, Florian Foschum , Andre Liemert , Alwin Kienle and William M. Whelan. “Experimental spectro-angular mapping of light distribution in turbid” Journal of Biomedical Optics, 17, 067007, 2012. pdf

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer and William M. Whelan, "Spectro-angular mapping of localized gold inclusions in Intralipid phantoms”, Proc. SPIE Vol. 8427, 84271R, 2012. pdf

Annie Ladéroute, Michelle P. Patterson, Michael C. Kolios and William M. Whelan, “Frequency analysis of optoacoustic signals in laser heated tissues Proc. SPIE Vol. 8223, 822341, 2012. pdf

Michelle P. Patterson, Christopher B. Riley, Michael C. Kolios and William M. Whelan, “Optoacoustic signal amplitude and frequency spectrum analysis laser heated bovine liver ex vivo”, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings pp. 300-303, 2011. pdf

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer, William M. Whelan. “Radiance spectroscopy tool box for characterizing Au nanoparticles in tissue mimicking phantoms as applied to prostate”" Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy, S1-008, 2011. pdf

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer, William M. Whelan. “Detection of localized inclusions of gold nanoparticles in Intralipid-1% by point-radiance spectroscopy" Journal of Biomedical Optics, 16(7), 077003. 2011. pdf

Serge Grabtchak, Tyler J. Palmer, William M. Whelan. "Spatially-resolved probing of biological phantoms by point-radiance spectroscopy." Optical Fibers, Sensors, and Devices for Biomedical Diagnostics and Treatment XI, edited by Israel Gannot. Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7894, 78940A. 2011. pdf

Behrouz Soroushian, William M. Whelan, Michael C. Kolios “Dynamics of laser induced thermoelastic expansion of native and coagulated ex-vivo soft tissue samples and their optical and thermo-mechanical properties” Proc. SPIE Vol. 7899, 78990Z, 2011. pdf

Behrouz Soroushian, William M. Whelan, and Michael C. Kolios. “Study of laser induced thermoelastic deformation of native and coagulated ex‑vivo bovine liver tissues for estimating their optical and thermo‑mechanical properties”, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 15(6), 065002. 2010. pdf

Matthew Rodrigues, Robert A. Weersink, and William M. Whelan. “Assessment of thermal coagulation in ex vivo tissues using Raman spectroscopy”, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 15. 15(6), 068001. 2010. abstract