Workshop on

- BIOELECTRICS -

DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF CELLS AND TISSUES AND
THEIR MODIFICATION BY PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS

Sunday, October 18, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
 
 




Bioelectrics describes the exploration and manipulation of cells, tissues and organisms by electrical stimuli, first and foremost by pulsed electric fields. The initial response of the biological subject to the applied electric field is determined by its dielectric properties. Conversely, exposure to an electric field can alter the parameters of these biodielectrics. As such, the investigation of dielectric phenomena in living systems and their applications is an exciting and rewarding topic for the occupation of electrical engineers and biologists.

A first workshop on the topic of 'Biodielectrics - Electrical Breakdown in Biological Membranes' was held on the occasion of the CEIDP 2002. Since then, considerable progress has been made towards environmental and medical applications, and in the understanding of fundamental processes. The workshop at the CEIDP 2009 will give an update on these latest developments but also provide an opportunity to introduce interested researchers to an exciting and rapidly growing field that can benefit from their expertise.


 
 

SPEAKERS AND TALKS

BIOELECTRICS - FUNDAMENTALS

Karl H. Schoenbach: "Bioelectrics - New Gateways into Biological Cells"

Karl H. Schoenbach is founder and first director of the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics where he has pioneered the research on nanosecond pulsed electric fields for medical applications. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and has chaired a number of workshops and conferences, among them the First International Symposium on "Nonthermal Medical/Biological Treatments Using Electromagnetic Fields and Ionized Gases" (ElectroMed) in 1999.


Andrei G. Pakhomov: "Electrical Characteristics of Biological Cells - Biological Perspective"

Andrei G. Pakhomov is an expert in the effects of electromagnetic exposures and is currently leading a team of researchers to investigate electrophysiological effects of pulsed electric fields on cell membranes. He is the associate editor for the journal Bioelectromagnetics and on the Board of Directors for the Bioelectromagnetics Society.


Juergen F. Kolb: "Dielectric Responses of Cells and Tissues - Engineering Perspective"

Juergen F. Kolb's research is focusing on the immediate, physical effects of pulsed electric field exposures. To this end he specializes in fast optical diagnostic methods and the dielectric spectroscopy of cells and tissues. His expertise further extends to the design and evaluation of exposure systems.


Ravindra P. Joshi: "Modeling & Simulation of Bioelectrical Phenomena - Theoretical Perspective"

Ravindra P. Joshi's theoretical models and considerations have accompanied and led experimental efforts in the study of nanosecond pulsed electric fields from the beginning. He has published more than 30 papers on this topic and is a Fellow of the IEEE.



BIOELECTRICS - RESEARCH FRONTIERS

Richard Heller: "Electroporation in Gene Therapy and Drug Delivery"

Richard Heller is the current director of the Frank Reidy Center for Bioelectrics and an expert on electrogenetherapy. He is overseeing several major projects on the topic, mostly funded by the National Institutes of Health. He has been involved in successfully translating this technology to clinical trials. In 2004 he received the Iwao Yasuda Award from the Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine, and the Fellow Award of the Society for In Vitro Biology.


Stephen J. Beebe: "Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields for Cancer Treatments and Wound Healing"

Stephen J. Beebe's efforts have focused on the potential of nanosecond pulsed electric fields to induce biochemical cascades in mammalian cells. His contributions to this field have been published in major research journals and have paved the way for many of the currently pursued medical applications.


Shu Xiao: "Ultra Wide Band Antennas for Medical Diagnostic and Therapy"

Shu Xiao is leading the effort to push the limits of ultra-short pulsed electric field exposures into the picosecond range. This very new field of Bioelectrics research uncovers new interaction mechanisms and new possibilities for therapy and diagnostic.