International symposium to highlight current and future applications of MR-guided ultrasound

Leading research and clinical experts from around the world are scheduled to speak at the 2nd International Symposium for MR-guided Focused Ultrasound, which will be held October 17 to 20 in the Washington, D.C. area.

In an announcement today, the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation said that more than three dozen speakers, moderators and discussion panelists have been confirmed to date. The roster will expand significantly when the general and late-breaking abstract selection processes conclude in September.

A landmark event, the symposium will spotlight leading edge preclinical, translational and clinical research related to one of today's most promising and innovative therapeutic technologies. Targeted to scientists, clinicians and others interested in current and future applications of MR-guided focused ultrasound, the conference will offer a multifaceted exploration of this emerging field and feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, poster presentations and technical exhibits.

The program's dynamic structure is designed to foster the communication, cooperation and collaboration needed to accelerate the development and adoption of this nascent technology as a standard of patient care worldwide.

Symposium topics include:

• MR-guided focused ultrasound technology
• Brain applications
• Prostate applications
• Breast applications
• Liver applications
• Back and neck pain, other applications
• Uterine fibroids
• Bone tumors
• Focused ultrasound-mediated targeted drug delivery
• Late-breaking Research
• Focused Ultrasound Vendor Profiles
• Accelerating Development & Adoption
• Training and Credentialing

Keynote speakers for the symposium are:

• Kullervo Hynynen, Ph.D., a distinguished physicist and pioneer in the therapeutic use of focused ultrasound who holds appointments at the University of Toronto and at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Dr. Hynynen is also honorary president of the symposium. He will present the David and Diane Heller Lecture, "Focused Ultrasound from an historical perspective."
• Laurent Leksell, Ph.D., M.B.A., an internationally known entrepreneur and business executive who founded Gamma Knife maker, Elekta, AB in Stockholm. Dr. Leksell will present the Batten Family Lecture, "Challenges in achieving the adoption of a disruptive technology."

Confirmed speakers, session moderators and discussion panelists include:

• Linda Bradley, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland
• William Bradley, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego
• David Brenin, M.D., Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
• Haywood Brown, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham
• Falko Busse, Ph.D., Philips Healthcare, Vantaa
• Paul Chipperton, M.B.A., Profound Medical, Inc., Toronto
• Rajiv Chopra, Ph.D., Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto
• Lawrence Crum, Ph.D., Acoustics and Electromagnetics Department, University of Washington, Seattle
• Erik Dumont, Ph.D., Image Guided Therapy, Pessac
• Rebecca Emerick, M.B.A., InSightec, Dallas
• Dieter Enzmann, M.D., Department of Radiology, University of California, Los Angeles
• Katherine Ferrara, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis
• Mathias Fink, Ph.D., Institut Langevin, French Institute for Health & Medical Research, Paris
• Hidemi Furusawa, M.D., Breast Surgical Oncology, Breastopia Namba Hospital, Tokyo
• Wladyslaw Gedroyc, M.D., Department of Interventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, St. Mary's Hospital, London
• Gail ter Haar, Ph.D., Joint Department of Physics, Institute of Cancer Research, London
• Heather Huff Simonin, M.B.A., Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation, Charlottesville
• Mark Hurwitz, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women's Cancer, Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston
• Ferenc Jolesz, M.D., National Center for Image-Guided Therapy, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston
• Neal Kassell, M.D., Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
• Laurence Klotz, M.D., Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto
• King Li, M.D., M.B.A., The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston
• Matthias Matzko, M.D., Amper Kliniken, AG, Dachau
• Elliot McVeigh, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore
• Chrit Moonen, Ph.D., Imagerie Moleculaire et Fonctionnelle: de la Physiologie a la Therapie, University Victor Segalen, Bordeaux
• Dennis Parker, Ph.D., Utah Center for Advanced Imaging Research, Departments of Bioengineering & Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
• Raphael Pfeffer, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
• Joy Polefrone, Ph.D., Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation, Charlottesville
• Mitchell Schnall, M.D., Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Daniel Schultz, M.D., Greenleaf Health, LLC, Washington, D.C.
• Jacques Souquet, Ph.D., Supersonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence
• Laurel Sweeney, Office of Medical and Health Affairs, Philips Healthcare, Andover
• Mickael Tanter, Ph.D., Institut Langevin, French Institute for Health & Medical Research, Paris
• Clare Tempany, M.D., National Center for Image-Guided Therapy, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston
• Kobi Vortman, Ph.D., InSightec, Tirat Carmel
• Bradford Wood, M.D., Center for Interventional Oncology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda