Daniel Palanker, PhD Receives 2014 SPIE Translational Research Award
Santa Clara, CA – February 13, 2014 – Topcon Medical Laser Systems, Inc. is proud to announce recognition of Daniel Palanker, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University, by SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics. Dr. Palanker was presented SPIE’s 2014 Translational Research Award, recognizing an outstanding contribution in the field of biomedical optics with the potential to change clinical practice and improve the lives of patients.
Dr. Palanker, a key contributor to the development of Topcon’s Endpoint Management, was presented the Translational Research Award for his presentation titled “Non-damaging Laser Therapy of the Macula: Titration Algorithm and Tissue Response.” His presentation highlighted recent findings by Dr. Palanker and colleague Daniel Lavinsky, MD (Porto Alegre, Brazil) on the efficacy of photo-thermal stimulation of the retina for the treatment of retinal diseases, confirmed in recent clinical trials.1 Photo-thermal stimulation is enabled by the Endpoint Management algorithm based on a computational model of retinal heating and an Arrhenius model of cellular damage, to determine laser parameters maximizing the margins between visible and sub-visible endpoints and providing linear control over a non-linear process of photo-thermal therapy.
“Endpoint Management technology, offered in Topcon’s PASCAL® laser systems, enables efficient treatment of the retina without collateral damage,” commented Dr. Palanker. “We’ve developed algorithms that take us, reliably, from the titration settings into the desired treatment range. It provides optimal treatment settings for every patient, resulting in beneficial and reproducible outcomes. By improving safety, accuracy, and reproducibility, this non-damaging therapy benefits patients with DME, CSR, and potentially, other macular diseases,” Dr. Palanker adds.
“We’re very excited for Dr. Palanker’s accomplishments and recognition by SPIE,” said Greg Fava, Sr. Director of Marketing at Topcon Medical Laser Systems. “The award supports our efforts in offering ophthalmologists and patients the most technologically sophisticated system for treating a variety of debilitating retinal diseases. The ability to treat sub-visibly, effectively, and with visible Landmarks constitutes a significant advancement from previous laser technologies, and we are proud to be able to offer this technology to patients and ophthalmologists world-wide.”
About Daniel Palanker, PhD
Daniel Palanker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and in the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory at Stanford University. Several of his developments are in clinical practice world-wide: Pulsed Electron Avalanche Knife (PEAK PlasmaBladeTM), Patterned Scanning Laser Photocoagulator (PASCAL), and OCT-guided Laser System for Cataract Surgery (CatalysTM). In addition to laser-tissue interactions, retinal phototherapy and associated neural plasticity Dr. Palanker is working on electro-neural interfaces, including the Photovoltaic Retinal Prosthesis for restoring sight to the blind.
About Topcon Medical Laser Systems
Located in Santa Clara, CA, the company was founded in January 2004 to develop a new technology for the treatment of ocular disease. Initially developed at Stanford University, and exclusively licensed to TMLS, PASCAL Photocoagulators (Pattern Scanning Lasers) are used to treat a variety of retinal conditions including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vascular occlusive disease.