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Ultrasound is one of just a handful of modalities in medicine that have both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Safe and relatively inexpensive, it holds enormous promise for patients and Canada's health-care system. The focus of Jahan Tavakkoli's research is on developing novel therapeutic applications for biomedical ultrasound. His research and development activities are expanding knowledge and clinical applications in the fields of oncology, neurosurgery, pain medicine and cosmetic surgery.

Tavakkoli's investigations in therapeutic ultrasound range from high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS). The former - HIFU - is sometimes known as a "bloodless surgery" modality. It is a non-invasive technique that potentially eliminates the need for open surgery and general anaesthesia in many surgical procedures.

"HIFU works by rapidly converting intensive ultrasound energy into heat, resulting in temperature elevations above 60 C within a small focal zone that's deep seated in tissue," explains Tavakkoli, a Physics professor. "Due to its highly focalized nature, the HIFU beam doesn't affect intervening tissues and organs, and it enables a high degree of surgical precision with minimal side effects."

Tavakkoli's research program is supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation and several Ryerson research funds. In his work, he draws on his many years of experience in the medical devices research and development sector before he joined Ryerson. Tavakkoli was involved in the development of three HIFU devices that are used in clinical applications: the Sonablate 500 for treating prostate cancer; the Sonatherm 600 for treating kidney cancer and DeepSee for facial cosmetic surgery.

"As a Ryerson faculty member, I'm well connected to other researchers in the Greater Toronto Area and abroad who are conducting world-class biomedical ultrasound research," says Tavakkoli. "It is especially stimulating to have so many opportunities to collaborate with clinicians and industrial partners on translating my research into innovative products for real-world clinical applications."