The treatment of cancer hasn’t really changed over the past 50 years. We’ve seen improvements in surgical procedures as well as radiation therapy and the types of drugs used but generally cancer is still treated by surgery, radiation and drugs. If we fast forward 50 years, will we see any significant changes in these methods?
At the Engineering Festival back in October 2016 Professor Eleanor Stride gave a fascinating insight into science of microbubbles and how they are transforming ultrasound imaging and drug delivery.
It was interesting to learn the challenges in transporting drugs around the body and that only a tiny amount of chemotherapy drugs actually make it to a tumour with the rest of the drug affecting healthy tissue and subsequently causing the uncomfortable side effects that can be experienced by anyone undergoing treatment.
Professor Stride’s research into using ultrasound and microbubbles as a drug transportation method means that drugs can be delivered directly to the tumour giving much more targeted therapy.
Below is a video of her lecture at Savoy Place on 6th October 2016 at the annual Engineering Festival which I would highly recommend if you’re interested in learning more!
Professor Stride obtained her BEng and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from University College London, where she was subsequently appointed to a lectureship and a Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Research Fellowship. Her main research interest is the development of systems which integrate medical imaging and therapy where she has published over 110 refereed journal papers, four book chapters and presented over 100 conference papers. Her work has also led to the development of new patented technologies for the preparation of microbubble suspensions for ultrasound imaging and drug delivery and she has set up a spin-out company in this area. She was also the winner of the IET A.F. Harvey Prize in 2014
