Optical sensing in medicine

by

Professor P Kyriacou

Throughout human history, light has played an important role in medicine. New optical technologies, many involving light emitting diodes, laser diodes, lasers, fibre optics or nanotechnologies providing sensitive and compact electronic like devices are revolutionising many fields. Applications of new optical technologies to medicine might be described as in an adolescent stage, where their power and potential can be recognised but are still developing rapidly, and much is yet to come. The development of optical sensors used for either invasive or non-invasive physiological measurements is a current strength of the UK. The focus of this presentation will be mainly in the application of optics in the development of medical sensors. The talk will cover examples of application areas including real-time physiological and biochemical monitoring using optical techniques and spectral analysis. Mathematical modelling of optical propagation in tissue, as well as signal-processing techniques developed or adapted specifically for extraction of biomedical information arising from optical techniques also lie within the scope of the presentation

Biography

Prof Kyriacou received a BESc degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and MSc and PhD degree in Medical Electronics and Physics from St. Bartholomew’s Medical College, University of London. Following completion of his MSc (1995), he joined the medical devices industry where he worked as a Senior Biomedical Engineer specialised in Draeger Medical Intensive care Devices. He returned to St. Bartholomew’s Medical College, where he engaged in research training for a PhD degree in the field of medical optics and bioinstrumentation. Following the completion of his PhD in 2001 he was appointed Lecturer in Medical Electronics and Physics at Queen Mary, University of London. In January 2004, he continued his academic career as Director of the Undergraduate Programme in Biomedical Engineering (2004-2014) and Director of the Biomedical Engineering Research Group (2004-2014) at City University London where he was subsequently appointed Senior Lecturer (August 2004) and then Reader (July 2007). In August 2006 he was appointed Assistant Dean in Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering (EEIE) at the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (SEMS), a post he held until 2009 when he was promoted to Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Associate Dean for Postgraduate Studies (2009-2014). In 2014 he was appointed Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise at the newly formed School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering and Director of its Biomedical Engineering Research Centre. Professor Kyriacou served as Chair of the Physiological Measurement Group (2006-2008) and Chair of the Engineering Advisory Group (2010-2012) at the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and as Chair of the Instrument Science and Technology (ISAT) Group (2009-2012) of the Institute of Physics (IoP). Very recently he was elected to the prestigious position of Vice President Academia at IPEM with a primary role to strengthen and develop further the role of Biomedical Engineering in Academia. Professor Kyriacou is also an Adjunct Professor at Yale medical School (2010 – present), Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, India (2015 - ) and an Honorary Senior Research Fellowship at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and St Bartholomew’s Hospital (2001 – present). He has also served as Honorary Professor at St Andrew’s Burns and Plastic Centre at Broomfield Hospital (2004-2014). Since 2011 Prof Kyriacou is a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering panel for Biomedical Engineering and the Healthcare Science Advisory Group at NHS London where he acts as an ambassador for Biomedical Engineering both nationally and internationally. He is a fellow of IoP, IPEM and The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET). Professor Kyriacou is a chartered Engineer (CEng), chartered Physicist (CPhys) and chartered Scientist (CSci). He also offers his charitable services to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNESCO in the field of medical equipment management in developing countries. In March 2015 Professor Kyriacou has been elected to the prestigious post of President-Elect of the European Alliance for Medical and Biological Engineering & Science (EAMBES); he will assume his presidency in March 2017.