2016 Annual Report Summer School on Medical Imaging

2016 Annual Report

Lakehead University, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies

955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1,

Tel. (807) 766-7211, Fax: (807) 766-7214 facscien.lakeheadu.ca

Summer School on Medical Imaging

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute Ph. (807) 684-7223 Fax (807) 684-5800 Translational Research Office: Rm #2162, 980 Oliver Road Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6V4 Pre-Clinical Research Office: 290 Munro Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 7T1 www.tbrri.com

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute Lakehead University

Summer School of Medical Imaging Annual Report 2016

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Table of Contents

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Grand Opening

Introduction

Scientists’ Seminars

Mid-Summer BBQ

Conclusion

Students Shadowing Doctors

SSMI Student Tours

Introduction

3

Our Scientists

4

Scientist Seminar Programme

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Seminar: Dr. Mitchell Albert

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Seminar: Dr. Jane Lawrence-Dewar

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Seminar: Dr. Pichardo Samuel

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Seminar: Dr. Laura Curiel

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Seminar: Dr. Alla Reznik

10

Seminar: Dr. Frank Prato

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Seminar: Dr. Apichart Linhananta

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Seminar: Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe

13

Seminar: Dr. Gautam Das

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SSMI Grand Opening

15

Student Shadowing Doctors

16

Course Credit

17

Mid-Summer Barbeque

18

Student Project Competition

19

Competition Programme

20

Program Evaluation

22

Conclusion

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The Summer School on Medical

Imaging is a summer student research program jointly hosted by the Lakehead

University (LU) and the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI)

that offers a unique research experience

for undergraduate students that

showcases the graduate environment in

the field of Medical Imaging. Within

this program, LU and TBRRI provide a unique learning experience involving

a seminar series with presentations by their own scientists, and host an end of

summer student research project competition. Students work under the

supervision of LU and TBRRI scientists to complete projects in their field of

interest and in doing this often make real contributions to advancements in medical imaging technologies. For six years in a row, the Summer School of

Medical Imaging has shown great success in offering one of the very few

places where undergraduate students have the chance to indulge deeply into

research at such an early stage of their educational path. Every year, the

summer school grows not only in the number of students but also in the

depth of students’ involvement and exposure to medical imaging.

This program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about innovative new technology by conducting hands on research

and attending informative seminars that feature interdisciplinary topics on the field of medical imaging.

Introduction: SSMI 2016

Program Goals


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Our Scientists

In being involved with the Summer School of Medical Imaging, the

scientists at TBRRI have allowed students to gain knowledge in the

different fields of medical imaging by interacting and working personally

with them. Scientists from TBRRI and Lakehead University presented

seminars to the students on a weekly basis, and by attending the lectures,

students were able to learn about adjunct topics in medical imaging and

the various areas of research. These lectures were beneficial for students

as they allowed students to explore different areas in medical imaging

research adjacent to their primary research fields and expand their

scientific backgrounds. Many of our scientists have joined the Lakehead

University and TBRRI community from leading Canadian and

international honorable universities.

Each of the following scientists

delivered fantastic presentations

to our summer students:

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Dr. Jane Lawrence-Dewar

Dr. Pichardo Samuel

Dr. Laura Curiel

Dr. Alla Reznik

Dr. Frank Prato

Dr. Apichart Linhananta

Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe

Dr. Gautam Das

In 2016, the Summer School of Medical

Imaging program was chaired by Dr. Alla

Reznik

and coordinated by Robert Girardin with the help of Maegen Lavallee.


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Below is a list of the seminars provided by in-house and visiting scientists to

our students this summer. Full abstracts can be found in the following

scientist pages.

Scientist Topic

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Hyperpolarized Gas and Inert Gas MRI of the

Lungs and Brain, and Xenon Biosensor MR

Molecular Imaging

Dr. Jane Lawrence-

Dewar

Imaging Structure and Function of the Central

Nervous System in Humans

Dr. Pichardo

Samuel

Proteus: A State of Art Platform for MRgHIFU

and Interventional MRI

Dr. Laura Curiel New Trends on High Intensity Focused

Ultrasound: Beyond Therapeutic Thermal Ablation

Dr. Alla Reznik Novel Materials for Radiation Medical Imaging

Detectors

Dr. Frank Prato Cardiac Molecular Imaging with Hybrid PET/MRI

Dr. Frank Prato Medical Research is an Integral and Essential Part

of the Patient Care Continuum

Dr. Apichart

Linhananta

Learning about Ehler-Danlos Syndrome and

Alzheimer's disease using Molecular Dynamic

Simulations

Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe Personalized Health

Dr. Gautam Das Fiber Lasers: Detection of Gases and Chemicals

Scientist Seminar Programme


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“My laboratory focuses on using hyperpolarized (HP) gas MRI, an innovative technology that provides spectacularly detailed structural and functional images of the body without the need for

ionizing radiation. Conventional MRI typically detects the 1 H nucleus, but other atomic nuclei such as helium-3 (3 He) or xenon-129 (129Xe) can be detected. HP gas MRI, which I co-invented in the

1990s, uses a high- powered, diode laser to produce polarized light that aligns the nuclei of atoms of 3He or 129Xe. This hyperpolarization increases the effective MR signal intensity of 3He or 129Xe by 100,000 times. HP 3He or 129Xe can then be inhaled, permitting high-resolution, three-dimensional

imaging of body structures and processes. HP 129Xe MRI offers unique advantages, including the fact that 129Xe has no background signal in biological tissue; it is safe; and, because inhaled HP

129Xe readily enters the blood stream, it is distributed to all organs of the body and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, providing an ideal technique for measuring blood flow (perfusion). As a result,

HP 129Xe MRI can provide diagnosis and information on pathophysiology not obtainable with other diagnostic modalities. One of the most powerful advantages of HP gas MRI is that it can

provide information on physiological function, information that is invaluable for detecting and accurately characterizing diseases and for guiding treatment. My group uses HP gas MRI to investigate ventilation function in the lungs, gas exchange in the alveoli of the lungs, blood flow in

the brain, and moment-to-moment functional activity in the brain. We are also developing the use of inert fluorinated gases for 19F MRI of the lungs, which does not require the use of a polarizer or expensive isotopes. Additionally, we are developing HP 129Xe biosensor probes that will enable us

to perform xenon functional molecular imaging, a technology that has powerful potential applications for detection and treatment guidance for cancer and other diseases.”

Education

• B.Sc., State University of New York, Purchase, NY (Experimental

Psychology); 1985

• Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY (Physical

Chemistry); 1993

• Postdoctoral Training, Research Fellow in Radiology, University

Hospital at Stony Brook, NY; 1993-1994

Mitchell Albert, Ph.D. • Scientist, MRI Research Chair, Thunder Bay Regional

Research Institute, Thunder Bay, ON

• Professor, Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University

Lecture Topic: “Hyperpolarized Gas and Inert Gas MRI of the Lungs and

Brain, and Xenon Biosensor MR Molecular Imaging”


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“Neuroimaging has greatly advanced our ability to study the living human brain through non-invasive measurement of tissue structure and function. Dr. Lawrence-Dewar will discuss several electrophysiological and

magnetic resonance imaging methods that she has used and how she has

applied them in her past and current research.”

Education

• BSc Biology, University of Winnipeg, 2002

• PhD Physiology, University of Manitoba, 2007

Jane Lawrence-Dewar, Ph.D.

• Scientist, Thunder Bay Regional

Research Institute, Thunder Bay,

ON

• Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Department of

Biology and School of

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

• Assistant Professor, Northern Ontario

School of Medicine, Medical

Sciences Division

Lecture Topic: “Imaging Structure and Function of the Central Nervous System in Humans”


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• B.Eng. Electronic Systems, Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterry, (1995), Estado de Mexico, Mexico

• M.Sc. Imaging Systems, Institut National de Sciences Appliqees, (2001), Lyon France

• Ph.D. Imaging Systems, Institut National de Sciences Appliqees, (2005), Lyon, France

Lecture Topic: “Proteus: A State of Art Platform

for MRgHIFU and Interventional MRI”

”

Samuel Pichardo, Ph.D.

• TBRRI Scientist

• Adjunct Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lakehead

University

Education

“In this talk, I will present the diverse range of projects being conducted at

TBRRI on Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery and MRI-guided interventions. We have highly diversified activities ranging from basic

discovery such as acoustic properties of tissue, new devices and techniques for

pediatric applications of MRgFUS, and translational efforts for the treatment of cancer combining MRgFUS and radio therapy. I will present details and

applications of our platform Proteus that has been developed at Thunder Bay to

support this diversified portfolio of applications. Proteus is series of software libraries that support the expedite development of new applications. Proteus

include modules for the control of MRI and MRgFUS systems, fast online

displaying, MRI processing, simulation in GPUs and more.”


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Laura Curiel, Ph.D.

Lecture Topic: “New Trends on High Intensity Focused

Ultrasound: Beyond Therapeutic Thermal Ablation”

• B.Eng. Electronic Systems, Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, (1995), Estado de Mexico, Mexico

• M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering, (1997), Universite de Lyon I Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

• Ph.D. Imaging and Systems, (2001), Institut National de Sciences Appliquees, Lyon, France

“Minimally invasive procedures such as high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) present clear advantages for patients providing lower side effects, fast recovery and localized therapy. The current clinical applications aim at thermal ablation as means to excise

unwanted tissues to produce a therapeutic result. However, some limitations with this

approach have initiated the development of less invasive applications of HIFU to produce therapeutic results. As a result, novel exploration on molecule delivery and moderate temperature increase combined with other therapy has been proposed. In this lecture I will provide the basic concepts behind HIFU and these applications, and how these new projects are requiring a highly interdisciplinary approach to reach the final clinical application.”

• Scientist, Thunder Bay Regional

Research Institute, Thunder Bay, ON

• Adjunct Professor, Department of

Electrical Engineering, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON

Education


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Alla Reznik, Ph.D.

“The ability to detect and diagnose medical conditions accurately and at the earliest

stage of disease is often critical for effective treatment and recovery. While imaging

devices and technologies have vastly improved our ability to visualize body tissues and processes, they are often coupled to “off the shelf” general purpose detectors

that may limit their potential value for specific medical applications and which

certainly have not been optimized for particular imaging modalities. The goal of my work is to develop and commercialize the next generation of customized

detectors to improve medical imaging applications, including breast cancer

screening, minimally invasive cardiac intervention and Alzheimer disease diagnosis and treatment. My talk will focus on the novel materials and technologies which

we propose to improve the capabilities, efficiencies, and costs associated with

medical imaging.”

Masters of Science - Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev (State University of Ukraine), Ukraine (1985)

Ph.D. equiv. – Ukraine National Academy of Science, Ukraine (1991) Doctorate, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel (2001)

Lecture Topic: “Novel Materials for Radiation Medical Imaging

Detectors”

• Canada Research Chair in

Physics of Molecular

Imaging

• Senior Scientist, Advanced

Detection Devices, TBRRI

• Associate Professor,

Department of Physics,

Lakehead University

Education


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Lecture Topic: Cardiac Molecular Imaging with Hybrid PET/MRI

“We have made great strides in cardiac anatomical, functional and metabolic imaging. But molecular cardiac imaging currently lags far behind molecular imaging of the brain and that in oncology. Why? Is

it because we lack an understanding of the molecular basis of cardiac diseases so that we can develop the appropriate molecular imaging probes OR because we lack the molecular imaging probes to discover these disease specific biomarkers? How should we bootstrap ourselves? I will discuss some of

our original work establishing the use of Gd-DTPA as an “in-vivo trypan blue test”, discuss current state-of-the-art of cardiac PET and the future potential for hybrid PET/MR to quantify myocardial

inflammation.”

Imaging Program Leader and Assistant Scientific Director

Lawson Health Research Institute

Professor, Medical Imaging, Medical

Biophysics and Physics, Western University

Lecture Topic: Medical Research is an Integral and Essential Part of the Patient Care Continuum

As I turned 70 this past May I have reflected on the privilege given to me by my family and our Canadian society allowing me to have a career in medical imaging and bioelectromagnetics. My path is

strewn with false starts, lows and fantastic highs.

You have two weeks to dramatically improve or you will be asked to withdraw from your Ph.D.

program (Harold Johns, circa 1973)

Your 1.65 million shares in a company you founded dropped from $2 a share to 2 cents a share on the TSE in about 1 hour (circa 2008)

You are the only Canadian to win the D’Arsonval Bioelectromagnetic Prize (2013)

You are the first chair of the division of imaging science and the first to win the Lawson Impact Award (2014)

Frank Prato, PhD, FCCPM, ABMP, AAPM, FCOMP


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Apichart Linhananta, Ph.D.

In 1953, N Metropolis, AW Rosenbluth, MN Rosenbluth, AH Teller, and Edward Teller published the paper on Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation to obtain the equation of states of rare gases. In the

1970's Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt, and Ariel Warshel started to use MD to study proteins, DNA, and RNA. Their research establishes MD as an important tool for studying biophysical systems, and

they were award the nobel prize in chemistry in 2013. In this seminar I will discuss the use of MD to understand two medical disorders. The seminar begins with an explanation of the theoretical basis of MD. Then MD simulations of wild-type and mutant tenascin X proteins are discussed. The result

explains how genetic mutations lead to the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The final topic is on a coarse-grained model, with pseudo-hydrogen bonds of a system of beta-amyloid peptides, believed to be the

cause of Alzheiner's disease.

Lecture Topic: “Learning about Ehler-Danlos Syndrome and

Alzheimer's disease using Molecular Dynamic Simulations”

• HBSc. Physics, McGill University (1988)

• M.Sc. Physics of Soft Matter, University of Guelph (1990)

• Ph.D. Physics of Soft Matter, University of Guelph (1996)

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Combustion Theory, Deakin University,

Australia (1998-2000)

Education

• Professor and Chair,

Department of Physics,

Lakehead University

• SHARCNET Site Leader of

Lakehead University


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Ingeborg Zehbe, Ph.D., D.Sc.

• Scientist and Research Chair, Thunder Bay

Regional Research Institute

• Associate Professor, Northern Ontario School

of Medicine

• Professor, Department of Biology, Lakehead

University

Lecture Topic: “Personalized Health”

Presented with Students:

Robert Jackson, Ph.D. Candidate and Melissa Togtema, Ph.D. Candidate

From November 16-19, 2015, Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe and her two PhD Biotechnology Candidates Robert Jackson and Melissa Togtema attended and European Molecular Biology

Laboratories/Standford Personalised Health Conference in Heidelberg, Germany. This joint conference addressed the importance of integrating information from "big data sets" such as whole

genome sequencing, a person's microbiome composition and the metabolites the are secreting together with data from traditional clinical tests to implement personalized healthcare approaches. These topics were covered through basic science, translational and clinical approaches. The

importance for interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists, clinicians and engineers (to develop the biosensors necessary to collect such measurements) was stressed throughout all sessions. Another

recurring theme during the conference was the need to manage and make accessible in an ethically appropriate manner the large databases which would be generated from such studies. Examples

highlighted included the "100K Wellness Project" spearheaded by Dr. Lee Hood at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle and the "100 000 Genomes Project" implemented by Genomics England.

The ultimate goal is to apply such an approach to monitor human wellness and prevent disease before it occurs, as opposed to traditional reactionary medicine. This Lunch & Learn will summarize the concept of this conference and how to apply it to our research program.

• B.A., Anthropology and Archaeology, (1987), University of Uppsala, Sweden

• Ph.D., Molecular Pathology, (1996), University of Uppsala, Sweden

• D. Sc., Molecular Pathology, (1999), University of Uppsala, Sweden

Education


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Gautam Das, Ph.D.

Fiber lasers operating either in the CW or PULSED mode are established as robust and reliable devices. They have wide applications in industry and medicine because of their unique characteristics

such as an all-fiber design, compact size, cost-effective production and operation, and lack of need for re-alignment and external cooling. A fiber laser emitting single-longitudinal-mode, single-wavelength or multi-wavelength output in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum is attractive for

applications in optical communication, sensing, spectroscopy and nonlinear optics.

Trace-gas sensing is a rapidly growing field. It has applications in breath diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and homeland security. Several methods and devices are commercially available for the identification and quantification of trace gases. Most of the commonly used devices are based on gas

chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectroscopy (MS). Laser spectroscopy is an alternative to the GC/MS methods. Laser spectroscopy is based on the light-absorbing property of a chemical and

can detect a compound in real time with very high sensitivity. The author has developed a new technique, based on a CW fiber laser, for the detection of trace gases. In the talk, the author will

present the details of the gas detection system and its unique features.

Further, detecting a single molecule of a substance (e.g. the protein responsible for cancer) is a real

challenge using existing devices, most of which are also very expensive. A system based on fiber lasers will be efficient and cost-effective. The author will also present the details of a chemical sensor based

on SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy).

Lecture Topic: “Fiber Lasers: Detection of Gases and Chemicals”

Ph. D.: Department of Physics, University of Waterloo, Canada, 2003. Thesis- "Multiwavelength

fiber laser".

Ph. D. (Technology), Department of Applied Physics, University of Calcutta, India, 2001. Thesis-

"Modelling and analyses of single mode fibers and planar waveguides with linear and non-linear

optical media".

M. Sc. (Technology), Optics and Opto-electronics: Department of Applied Physics, University of

Calcutta, India, 1994. Thesis- " Arithmetical operation using MMSD (modified mixed signed digit)

number system and it’s optical implementation"; Seminar- "Robot vision".

B. Sc. (Honours), Physics: University of Calcutta, India, 1991.

Education

• Professor, Department of

Physics, Lakehead University


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Grand Opening of the SSMI

At the beginning of the summer,

students, scientists and staff gathered

for the Grand Opening of the

Summer School on Medical Imaging

for 2016. Presentations were made by

Dr. Mitchell Albert (Research Chair,

LU/TBRRI ), Dr. Todd Randall

(Acting Dean of S.E.S., LU), Dr. Alla

Reznik (Chair of SSMI, Canada Research Chair in Physics of Molecular

Imaging), Dr. Apichart Linhananta

(Chair of Physics, LU) and Mr. Devin

Van Elburg (Past SSMI student).

Students, scientists and staff joined to

socialize and celebrate the

commencement of the Sixth Annual

Summer School on Medical Imaging.


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Again this year, the students had the

opportunity to shadow practicing physicians Dr. Anatoly Shuster and Dr. Radu Rozenberg, diagnostic

radiologists at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre. The students had the opportunity to

observe different diagnostic imaging techniques and see how physicians

read them.

Students Shadowing Doctors

All those who participated expressed an overwhelmingly positive opinion regarding the learning experience they had

through shadowing.

Student Shadowing Testimonials

The physician shadowing was a very unique experience which provided me with

insight to what it might be like having a career in radiology. The physician was very friendly and made the procedures very enjoyable and educational. I would absolutely

recommend that students who have the opportunity to shadow a physician under the

summer school of medical imaging should do so!

The physician shadowing was a great opportunity for the Summer School of Medical Imaging students. It allowed us to fully experience the day in the life of a Doctor

specializing in medical imaging and view real medical procedures. We gained new

knowledge and really appreciated this opportunity.


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For the first time this year, students

at Ryerson and Lakehead

Universities will be able to use their

participation in the SSMI for course

credit.

Efforts to create the course credit

program were spearheaded by Dr.

Apichart Linhananta (Chair of Physics,

LU)

Course Credit


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At the beginning of August, students, scientists and staff

gathered at Boulevard Lake

for the SSMI Mid-Summer BBQ. There, the students

were able to sample food

from local providers and enjoy some fun in the

summer sun. The students

also engaged in a friendly competition to see which

group could make the best

side dish or BBQ sauce.

Special thanks goes out to Ms. Carmen Dore for her

excellent BBQ skills.

SSMI Mid-Summer BBQ


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In conclusion to this year’s summer semester, students participated in a student presentation

competition; in which all undergraduate and high school students had the chance to present their

research projects from this summer. All presentations were insightful, interesting, and delivered in a

highly professional manner. The competition was held over two days with first second and third place winners for each day. The judges included:

The winners of the 2016 competition were as follows:

1st place Winners:

Keren Mayorov (left) supervised by Dr. Alla Reznik Brandon Baldassi (right) supervised by Dr. Alla Reznik

2nd place Winners:

Peter Smylie (left) supervised by Dr. Mitchell Albert Ashlyn Kopanski (right) supervised by Dr. Mitchell Albert

3rd Place Winners:

Braedan Prete (left) supervised by Dr. Mitchell Albert

Miranda Mellerup (right) supervised by Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe

Thank you to all our scientists, their students, Lakehead

University, and TBRRI for making this year’s Summer School on

Medical Imaging so successful.

Dr. Roxanne Deslauriers – Scientific Director, TBRRI

Dr. Todd Randall – Acting Dean, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Lakehead University

Dr. Craig MacKinnon – Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University

Dr. Christine Gottardo – Professor, Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University

Dr. Peter McGhee – Director of Medical Physics, TBRHSC; Adjunct Professor, Department of

Physics, Lakehead University

Dr. Ian MacKay – Lecturer, Department of Physics, Lakehead University

Student Project Competition


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Student Title Supervisor

Maria Kisslegoff Neural Activations Underlying Visuomotor Adaptation Following Stroke,

fMRI Study

Dr. Jane Lawrence-Dewar

Boris Potoyants PEM a Solution to the Shortcomings of MRI and Mammogram for Breast Cancer

Detection

Dr. Vivianne Freitas

Emily Puumala Electrochemical Detection of Mercury

(Hg(II)) Using Modified Nonporous Gold Micro Electrodes

Dr. Aicheng Chen

Ben Gidalevich Coordinate Reconstruction and Energy

Resolution in Solid State PET Detectors: Our Ways to Improve Both

Dr. Alla Reznik

Keren Mayorov Image Reconstruction for Organ Specific

Positron Emission Tomography

Dr. Alla Reznik

Paul Chen High Resolution Positron Emission Mammography (PEM): First Steps

Towards A Clinical Prototype

Dr. Alla Reznik

Dipal Patel Contrast Optimization for Variable-Field

MRI: A Guide to Smarter Imaging

Dr. Laura Curiel

Jeffrey Andrew-

Cotter

MRIgHIFU: Design of Software for the

MRI-Table

Dr. Laura Curiel

Owen Bai Alzheimer's Disease Prediction Using

Bayesian Probability

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Peter Smylie In vivo use of Cucurbit[6]uril as an MRI

Contrast Agent Through HyperCEST

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Braedan Prete Functionalized 129Xe Biosensors as Molecular Imaging Agents for

Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Competition Programme


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Student Title Supervisor

Iggy Osmulski Brain Function During Grasping Tasks in

Stroke

Dr. Jane Lawrence-

Dewar

Simrun Chahal Investigating the Pain Blocking Response

of Buprenorphine in Rats Using Hyperpolarized 129Xe fMRI

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Ashlyn Kopanski Investigating the use of Propane Gas as an

Inhalation Imaging Agent for MRI

Dr. Mitchell Albert

Alexander

Medrek

Mouse Stereotactic System for Blood Brain Barrier FUS Exposure

Dr. Laura Curiel

Jason Sri Kantha Revolutionizing Research in Alzheimer's

with the Application of Bioinformatics

Dr. Apichart

Linhananta

Carl Fletcher A Physical Model to Better Understand

HIV

Dr. Apichart

Linhananta

Victor Xiao Lead Oxide as a Photoconductor for Direct

Conversion X-ray Medical Imaging

Detectors

Dr. Alla Reznik

Brandon Baldassi Characterization of Cadmium Zinc Telluride as a Material for Solid State

Detectors in Advanced Computed

Tomography

Dr. Alla Reznik

Sajed McHeik Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) to Develop a

Biological Sensor

Dr. Gautam Das

Kathleen

Roulston

Testing of Novel Antibody Fragments for

Their Ability to Bind the Human Papillomavirus 16 E6 Protein

Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe

Miranda

Mellerup

Molecular Therapies for HPV-Related

Cancer: Using Western Blot Imaging to Optimize the Efficacy of siRNA/DsiRNA

Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe

Chris Gibb Creating a Platform to Analyze Pathogen-

Host Relationships in Next Gen

Sequencing Data

Dr. Ingeborg Zehbe


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Program Evaluation

At the end of the summer, students were asked to fill out a survey about their experience in the

program. The results from the respondents demonstrated that it was a success and helpful

feedback was provided from the students.

Student Attendees

Information

Undergraduate Students: 97%

Master’s Students: 0%

Ph.D. Students: 0%

High School Students: 7%

Associated Degree

Area

Biology: 14%

Chemistry: 7%

Physics: 50%

Electrical Engineering: 7%

Other: 21%

Which part of the

Summer School did

you find most

beneficial?

Scientific Presentations: 33%

Informational Discussions:

13%

Tours / Shadowing: 4%

Networking Opportunities:

33%

Attendees Presentations: 17%

Format Satisfaction

of the Program

87%

Content

Satisfaction of the

Program

79%

Overall Satisfaction

of the Program

87%

Would you

recommend the

summer school?

Yes: 100%

Was the summer

school a

motivational

experience for you?

Yes: 93%

Maybe: 7%

What did you like most about the

program?

“Direct exposure to the

research environment.”

“The opportunity to learn

from my PI and peers

everyday on the job.”

“The chance to do research

in my field.”

“The research opportunity

for undergraduates in this

program in unparalleled in

this province.”

“Being a high school

student, it was incredibly

valuable and eye-opening to

be exposed to the

applications of medical

imaging and the new

innovations in the field that

are currently being studied.”

“The fact that we had the

opportunity to truly

contribute to a real research

project”

“Personally, I really enjoyed

working alongside

undergraduate students in

the same disciplines as I,

and collaborating with

them, along with students in

other programs to create a

multidisciplinary

environment to learn and

explore in.”


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Conclusion

The 2016 Summer School of Medical Imaging was a great success.

This year, the summer school became an all Ontario event with

participants from Lakehead, Ryerson, McMaster, and Western

universities, and the University of Toronto. Notably, six students

from Ryerson participated, exposing them to life in Thunder Bay

and research at LU / TBRRI; helping to promote the development

of a joint undergraduate program between LU and Ryerson in

medical imaging.

Additionally, there was great support from our partners, Lakehead

University, Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute, and

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

We hope that through the program, students have gained a long-

term enthusiasm for science and learning, and that they will

continue to use their bright minds and science background in their

future careers!

Documents

2016 Annual Report Summer School on Medical Imaging