The Diaries of a Translational Scientist: From Bacterial Detection to Autonomous Ventilators
Speaker:
Israel Gannot, Ph.D.
Head of the Kodesz Institute for Technologies in Healthcare
Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering and School of Architecture,
Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Abstract:
Dr. Gannot’s career has been defined by a sustained commitment to translating fundamental scientific discoveries into clinically impactful technologies. His early work focused on the development of optical fibers for mid-infrared radiation transmission, a technology licensed to multiple medical laser and optics companies and still in use today. This work led to the development of a thermal imaging fiber bundle integrated into endoscopic systems for minimally invasive surgery, enabling combined imaging and therapeutic intervention. Through these experiences, he identified a persistent “loss in translation” between academic innovation and clinical adoption, motivating him to take a direct role in advancing laboratory technologies toward commercial and clinical deployment. Among these efforts was the co-founding of a biotechnology company that developed a mid-infrared spectroscopy–based system for bacterial identification in clinical settings. His broader research interests include biophotonics, theranostics, translation and team science, and the ethics of technology and ethically aligned design. In this talk, Professor Gannot will discuss ongoing projects, including a system for imaging pupil size and gaze through closed eyelids and the development of an autonomous ICU ventilator that integrates multimodal physiological sensing with a patient’s digital twin to support adaptive ventilation and facilitate safe weaning to spontaneous breathing. Drawing on decades of experience, he will reflect on the scientific, organizational, and ethical dimensions of translational research.
Dr. Gannot earned his BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology, and completed his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering (BME) in 1994. He then joined the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, where he served as BME Section Chief and established the biomedical engineering branch. Subsequently, Dr. Gannot conducted postdoctoral research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Science and Technology and was Senior Visiting Scientist at the NIH. In 1997, he joined the School of BME at Tel Aviv University, where he founded the Lasers and Optics in Medicine Laboratory. There, he served as Chair of the BME department and was later appointed Head of the Ela Kodesz Institute for Technologies in Healthcare. Dr. Gannot has held various visiting appointments at institutions such as George Washington Univ. and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He also holds an Adjunct Professor appointment in the BME department at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Gannot is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the SPIE. In addition to his academic work, he co-founded and served as CEO of a biotechnology company that developed a clinical system for bacterial identify-cation, reflecting his longstanding engagement with translational research and technology commercialization.