Develops noninvasive, image-guided ultrasound technologies for diagnostics and treatment, targeting deep tissues like the brain, prostate, liver, and heart.
The Focused Ultrasound (FUS) group at Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI), led by Drs. Kullervo Hynynen, David Goertz, and Meaghan O’Reilly, is dedicated to advancing health care through the development of novel diagnostic and noninvasive therapeutic technologies using focused ultrasound. As part of the Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI)’s physical sciences platform, the group explores the potential of focused ultrasound to deliver precise, controllable energy deep within tissues.
This high-frequency acoustic energy can be used to diagnose or treat conditions noninvasively, offering a safer alternative to traditional surgery, particularly for hard-to-reach areas such as the brain, liver, prostate, and heart. Focused ultrasound can also be integrated with other imaging technologies, like MRI, to enhance diagnostic accuracy and monitor treatment effectiveness.
The group’s research focuses on three main initiatives:
- Developing high-power, image-guided phased-array ultrasound systems, including theoretical modeling, transducer arrays, control software, and electronics.
- Creating systems for transcranial ultrasound treatment through the intact skull, with applications in brain therapy.
- Designing intracavitary applicators and image-guided approaches for treating tissues near body cavities.
Focused ultrasound is a rapidly evolving and promising technology with the potential to transform both diagnostics and therapy across a range of clinical applications.
⦁ Cell-type specific sample isolation
⦁ Region-specific tissue dissection
⦁ High-resolution brightfield and fluorescence imaging
⦁ Automated slide scanning and high-resolution montage creation
⦁ Confocal-like fluorescence imaging
⦁ Tissue structure visualization using custom fluorescent filter sets
⦁ Acoustic transducer characterization and performance testing
⦁ Surface vibration mapping with amplitude and phase analysis
⦁ Calibration of acoustic sources using water tank and adjustable target film
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized labs and equipment
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| Zeiss AxioImager M2 Upright Microscope with a Zeiss color camera, a Hamamatsu monochrome camera, with MBF Bioscience Stereo Investigator software (Stereology Microscope system) | Quantify number, length, area and volume of cells, subcellular and macro structures in tissue. Brightfield and fluorescent imaging of fixed tissue samples. Two cameras for image collection. A 3D motorized stage and software allow for the capture of high-resolution montage imaging. |
| Zeiss Apotome microscope system | Enhance fluorescence imaging by providing optical sectioning. |
| PolyTec PSV-400 Laser Scanning Vibrometer | Non-contact measurement system used to characterize transducers. |
| Système de microdissection par capture laser PALM MicroBeam de ZEISS | Couper et prélever des zones d’un tissu à l’aide d’un faisceau de coupe UV. Effectuer l’imagerie en champ clair et en fluorescence. Analyser en aval des échantillons, notamment pour la réaction de polymérisation en chaîne quantitative (PCRq) et le séquençage de l’ARN (ARN-seq). |