Biomedical Optics

E. Duco Jansen, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Phone: (615) 343-1911 Email: Mailing address: Vanderbilt University Station B Box 351631 Nashville, TN 37235 Physical address: 5824 Stevenson Center Nashville, TN 37232

Description of Research Program

Current Projects

Recent Publications

Biomedical Optics Laboratory Home Page*

Description of Research Program:

Dr. Jansen joined the faculty of the Biomedical Engineering Department in January of 1997. He has been working in the area of laser-tissue interaction and biomedical optics and specifically on pulsed laser ablation of biological tissue for the last nine years. Dr. Jansen’s research effort is split between research related to the Vanderbilt Free Electron Laser (FEL) and Biomedical Optics in the BME Department. The research at the FEL involves 1) beam transport and beam delivery for safe and convenient use by physicians for human clinical care (i.e. tissue removal or ablation) and 2) investigation of the fundamental interaction mechanism of FEL laser radiation with biological tissue, specifically the roles of wavelength and pulse structure. A major milestone was achieved when the first ever human surgery with a FEL was successfully performed using our system in December of 1999.

The second major research focus is in the use bioluminescent (firefly) reporter genes in order to optically probe gene expression in in vivo living animals. While this new method is used mostly as a tool to investigate the cell biological responses of cells and tissues following laser radiation, several collaborations are in place that use this method in applications varying from inflammatory lung injury responses to tumor angiogenesis. Most of these projects are conducted in strong collaboration with medical faculty.

The BME Department has designated Biomedical Optics as one of the main focus areas of research and has allocated approximately 2000 ft² of lab space to the Biomedical Optics research area.

Current Projects Include:

1. Design, development, and implementation of a beam delivery system in order to facilitate human clinical care with the Vanderbilt Free Electron Laser, including spectroscopic feedback controlled automated beam targeting systems

2. Cellular response to laser-induced insult of biological tissues. Mechanisms of pulsed laser-tissue interaction, correlating biological responses to physica, laser-induced stimuli.  Transgenic animal models are being developed that allow us to optically detect gene expression (of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, VEGF, and Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70).

3. Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMR).

4. Development of optical tools for use in cellular and molecular biology, including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and bioluminescence imaging.

Recent Publications:

Welch AJ, Motamedi M, Rastegar S, LeCarpentier GL, Jansen ED - Laser thermal ablation - Photochem Photobiol 53(6): 815-823 (1991).

Jansen ED, Le TH, Welch AJ - Excimer, Ho:YAG and Q-Switched Ho:YAG ablation of aorta: a comparison of temperatures and tissue damage in vitro - Appl Optics 32(4): 526-534 (1993).

Jansen ED, van Leeuwen TG, Motamedi M, Borst C, Welch AJ - Temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient of water for mid-infrared laser radiation - Lasers Surg Med 14: 259-269 (1994).

Van Leeuwen TG, Jansen ED, Motamedi M, Welch AJ, Borst C - Excimer laser ablation of soft tissue: a study of the content of fast expanding and collapsing bubbles - IEEE J Quant Electr 30(5): 1339-1345 (1994).

Jansen ED, Van Leeuwen TG, Motamedi M, Borst C, Welch AJ - Partial vaporization model for pulsed mid-infrared laser ablation of water - J Appl Phys 78(1): 564-571(1995).

Van Leeuwen TG, Jansen ED, Motamedi M, Borst C, Welch AJ - Pulsed laser ablation of soft tissue. In: Welch AJ, van Gemert MJC (eds): Optical-thermal response of laser irradiated tissue, Chapter 21: 709-763, Plenum Press, New York (1995).

Jansen ED, Asshauer T, Frenz M, Motamedi M, Delacrétaz G, Welch AJ - The effect of pulse duration on bubble formation and laser induced pressure waves during holmium laser ablation - Lasers Surg Med 18: 278-293 (1996).

Van Leeuwen TG, Jansen ED, Welch AJ, Borst C - Excimer laser induced bubbles: dimensions, theory and implications for laser angioplasty - Lasers Surg Med 18: 381-390 (1996).

Pratisto H, Frenz M, Ith M, Altermatt HJ, Jansen ED, Weber HP - Combination of fiberguided pulsed erbium and holmium laser radiation for tissue ablation under water - Appl Optics 35(19): 3328-3337 (1996).

Frenz M, Pratisto H, Konz F, Jansen ED, Welch AJ, Weber HP - Comparison of the effects of absorption coefficient and pulse duration of 2.12 µm and 2.79 µm radiation on laser ablation - IEEE J Quant Electr 32(12): 2025-2036 (1996).

Welch AJ, Lin WC, Cilesiz I, Jansen ED, Frenz M, Motamedi M - Dynamics of optical properties. In: Verga-Scheggi AM, Martellucci S, Chester AN, Pratesi R (eds): Biomedical optical instrumentation and laser-assisted biotechnology, Chapter I: 33-44, NATO A.S.I. Series: E325, Kluwer (1996).

Hammer DX, Jansen ED, Frenz M, Noojin GD, Thomas RJ, Noack J, Vogel A, Rockwell BA, Welch AJ - Shielding properties of laser-induced breakdown in water for pulse durations from 5 ns to 125 fs - Appl Optics 36(22): 5630-5640 (1997).

Jansen ED, Frenz M, Kadipasaoglu K, Pfefer TJ, Altermatt HJ, Motamedi M, Welch AJ - Laser-tissue interaction during transmyocardial laser revascularization - Annals of Thor Surg 63(3): 640-647 (1997).

Asshauer T, Delacrétaz G, Jansen ED, Welch AJ, Frenz M - Pulsed holmium laser ablation of tissue phantoms: correlation of bubble formation and acoustic transients – Appl Phys B 65: 647-657 (1997).

Pratisto HS, Uhlhorn SR, Jansen ED - Beam delivery of the Vanderbilt Free Electron Laser with hollow wave guides: effect on temporal and spatial pulse propagation - Fiber and Integrated Optics (in print).

Pratisto HS, Uhlhorn SR, Jansen ED - Beam delivery system at the Vanderbilt Free Electron Laser Center for clinical applications - Optical Engineering (submitted).

Lin WC, Toms SA, Motamedi M, Jansen ED, Mahadevan-Jansen A - Brain  tumor demarcation using optical spectroscopy: an in vitro study - J Biomedical Optics 5(2): (2000)

Chan KF, Hammer DX, Choi B, Teichman JMH, McGuff HS, Pratisto HS, Jansen ED, Welch AJ - Free Electron Laser lithotripsy: Threshold radiant exposures - Journal of EndoUrology (in print).

Baran JA, Jansen ED - Bioluminescence monitoring of Hsp70 induction during pulsed Holmium:YAG laser radiation - in preparation.

Pratisto HS, Uhlhorn SR, Copeland M, Jansen ED – Clinical beam delivery of the Vanderbilt FEL: Design and performance of a hollow waveguide-based handheld probe for neurosurgery – in: Specialty Fiber for Medical Applications, Harrington J, Katzir A (eds), SPIE, Bellingham, (1999).

Jansen ED, Pratisto HS, Uhlhorn SR, Harrison S – Tissue ablation with the Free Electron Laser: Contributions of wavelength and pulse structure – in: Laser-Tissue Interaction X, Jacques SL, Katzir A (eds), SPIE, Bellingham, (1999).

Jansen ED - Laser-tissue interaction during transmyocardial laser revascularization - in: Current topics in the transmyocardial revascularization, M. Okada (ed), Axel Springer, (in print).