When Laser meets Surgery: An update to MIRACLE project

Speaker:

Azhar Zam, PhD
NYU Abu Dhabi

Title:

"When Laser meets Surgery: An update to MIRACLE project"

Abstract:

The need for non-invasive, affordable, and label-free sensing and imaging techniques for both diagnosis and treatment monitoring has sparked a renewed interest in the potential of light-based sensing and imaging. These smart technologies, which combine advanced optical methods and AI, can detect, measure, and quantify what is otherwise invisible, addressing unmet needs in biology and medicine. In this presentation, Dr. Zam will provide an overview of the development of smart devices that utilize novel optical technologies, from early diagnosis to providing real-time feedback for laser surgery. He will also share the latest updates on the MIRACLE project and offer his insights on developing light-based smart technologies at NYUAD. By leveraging the power of light-based sensing and imaging, we can unlock new possibilities in healthcare, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatments, and better patient outcomes.

Bio:

Dr. Zam joined NYU Abu Dhabi in the fall of 2022 as an Associate Professor of Bioengineering, where he leads the cutting-edge Laboratory for Advanced Bio-Photonics and Imaging (LAB-π).

He is also an Associated Faculty with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Dr. Zam's impressive academic background includes a B.S. from the University of Indonesia, an M.Sc. from the University of Luebeck, Germany, and a Ph.D. from Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Before joining NYUAD, Dr. Zam was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Switzerland, where he founded the Biomedical Laser and Optics Group (BLOG) and co-established the MIRACLE II flagship project. He has also held research positions at prestigious  institutions such as the University of Waterloo, the National University of Ireland Galway, the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson University), and the University of California at Davis. Dr. Zam's contributions include over 90 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters to his name, as well as several patents. Overall, Dr. Zam's academic background and extensive research experience make him a valuable addition to the NYU Abu Dhabi community, and his leadership of LAB-π is sure to bring exciting new developments to the field of Biophotonics and Imaging.