Catching cancer soon enough can mean life or death for a patient. Dr. Kenneth Tichaur, working out of the Medical Imaging Research Center (MIRC) at IIT, developed technology used in tumor biopsy and surgery protocols that can detect cancerous tissue in its molecular environment, speeding up detection and improving prognosis. View Halo Profile >>
Tell me about your research…
The research of our lab is centered around developing technologies to improve detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. More specifically, we have established new ways of imaging the molecular environment of cancerous tissue.
The research of our lab is centered around developing technologies to improve detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
The novel insight this provides can be used to improve discrimination of cancer from healthy tissue to improved cancer surgery outcomes, detection of cancer spread to lymph nodes for earlier identification of aggressive cancer when treatment can be more effective (clinical study has started), and identification of the most promising drugs/treatment available for the individual patient (personalized medicine)
Can you explain that to a non-scientist?
By developing technology that is able to more accurately “see” cancer signatures, we can diagnose more aggressive cancer earlier than is currently possible, help surgeons better identify cancer from healthy tissue during tumor resection surgery, and predict what therapies will work best for the individual patient.
How could it someday impact patient lives?
Through seamless inclusion of our technology into tumor biopsy and surgery protocols, we have the potential to improve quality of life and prolong survival in patients with cancer. Specifically, patient outcomes are known to improve when aggressive cancer is caught and treated earlier, more cancer is removed during surgery, and patients are given the “best” therapy from all potential options.
Through seamless inclusion of our technology into tumor biopsy and surgery protocols, we have the potential to improve quality of life and prolong survival in patients with cancer