Science fiction technology in biomedical science

Although our favourite TV series are set a few centuries from now, the medical technology proposed is nearer by than we would think. In his LE STUDIUM Thursday debut presentation, Professor Michiel Postema plans to link science fiction technology to actual cancer treatment, algae control, trotting horses and fizzy drinks.

Ultrasonic imaging is becoming the most popular medical imaging modality, owing to the low price per examination and its safety. However, blood is a poor scatterer of ultrasound waves at clinical diagnostic transmit frequencies. It is a challenging task to quantify and predict which bubble phenomenon occurs under which acoustic condition, and how these phenomena may be utilised in ultrasound-assisted therapy. Aided by high-speed photography, our improved understanding of encapsulated microbubble behaviour may lead to more sophisticated ultrasound-guided delivery techniques.