New institute will unite engineering and medicine

17 Jun 2002

A new institute established to foster links between engineers and clinicians may lead to light-based cancer cures and medical diagnosis techniques.

The Lasers for Life Institute will officially open on 3 November 1999. It has its headquarters and three laboratories at the UK's University of Liverpool and has a second branch in London. The institute is currently appointing a laser specialist to become its research director.

The institute plans to study medical applications of light such as photodynamic therapy. Tumours in the body take up photosensitive drugs which absorb light of a specific wavelength. This allows abnormal cells to be selectively killed by light. "The main problem at the moment is finding an applicator that fits into the organ that needs to be treated. We want to find a way to use the light most effectively where it is needed," said Neville Krasner, a consultant gastroenterologist at the University Hospital Aintree and the clinical director of Lasers for Life.

He says that other projects will look at diagnostic techniques which study fluorescence from the naturally light reactive substances in all tissue. These techniques identify abnormal cells and may replace the need for a biopsy. The institute plans to work on techniques to identify disease before it can be seen with the naked eye. It is trying to develop a meter to detect the fluorescence from these cells.

Lasers for Life has already secured European Union funding to coordinate a laser safety programme across Europe. Krasner hopes that the institute will foster international research collaborations.

The Lasers for Life Institute is born out of a charity of the same name that was set up ten years ago to provide funding, research and training for hospitals around Liverpool in the UK.

SH