Lev Perelman, PhD
Principal Investigator
Gastroenterology
Med: Gastroenterology
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Contact Information
| Office: | DA-0879 |
| Phone: | 617-667-4230 |
| Fax: | 617-667-4278 |
| Email: | ltperel@bidmc.harvard.edu |
| Address: | 330 Brookline Ave; DA-0879
Boston, MA 02215 |
Advanced Degree And Training
| Year | Institution | Area or Rank |
| 1989 | Institute of Physics Academy of Sciences | PhD in Physics |
| 1992 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| 1993 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Research Scientist |
| 1995 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Principal Scientist |
| 2000 | Harvard University | Assistant Professor |
| 2002 | Harvard University | Associate Professor |
| 2012 | Harvard University | Professor |
Research Lab Team Members
| Le Qiu PhD | Saira Salahuddin MD,PhD | Olga Vorobyeva MS | Lei Zhang PhD |
Areas of Interest
| 1 Cancer |
Major Research Theme
|
Three main research programs at the Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging and Photonics are: 1) in vivo optical detection of preinvasive cancer; 2) studying sub-cellular morphology with confocal light absorption and scattering spectroscopic microscopy and 3) development of optical spectroscopic technique for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. The Center develops and uses a variety of different tools and platforms for in vivo optical biomedical imaging. In Vivo Optical Detection of Preinvasive Cancer The purpose of this program is to develop an optical system which can perform rapid optical scanning and multispectral imaging of the entire epithelial surface of various organs in reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts and present a diagnosis in near real time. This approach is vastly superior to the present strategies of performing random biopsies. Thus, it can provide a powerful tool for screening large populations of patients for early precancerous changes. In its pilot clinical test in the esophagus at BIDMC this instrument, for the first time in the world, successfully guided biopsy detecting and mapping sites of invisible dysplasia missed by the current standard-of-care. Studying Sub-Cellular Morphology with Confocal Light Absorption and Scattering Spectroscopic Microscopy Confocal Light Absorption and Scattering Spectroscopic (CLASS) Microscopy developed at the Center by our laboratory is a novel way to use optical imaging techniques for non-invasive monitoring of embryonic cells on the submicron scale with no exogenous labels. The human embryo development and response to environmental factors could be monitored progressively at all critical stages using CLASS microscopy. For example, when cells are in metaphase, CLASS could provide information concerning the number and shape of chromosomes present. Since the CLASS measurement is nondestructive and requires no exogenous chemicals, a given embryo in vitro could be monitored over time before implantation. These kinds of progression studies are not possible with any other currently available techniques. Optical Spectroscopic Technique for Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis utilizing fetal cells circulating in maternal peripheral blood has received much attention since it poses no risk to the fetus. Although several fetal cell types have been targeted, the search has focused on fetal nucleated red blood cells (fNRBC). Because of the low concentration of fNRBC in maternal blood, and interference by adult nucleated red blood cells (aNRBC), along with the failure to find broadly applicable identifiers that can differentiate fetal from aNRBC, reliable use of viable fNRBC in amounts sufficient for clinical use remains a challenge. We have demonstrated that fNRBC optical properties provide a unique optical biomarker that is based on the light scattering spectroscopic signatures of fNRBC and may enable isolation of these cells from maternal peripheral blood samples. This project can lead to development of a clinical minimally invasive prenatal genetic testing technique. |
Publications
External Recognition
| NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES: Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee, NIH Network for Translational Research in Optical Imaging: Optical Spectroscopy for Management of Cancer Treatment, University College London, Boston University, Erasmus Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh and Lund University, 2004-2008 Joint Working Group on Functional Imaging in Oncology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women's Health and National Cancer Institute, Washington, DC, 1999-2000 Planning Committee for the Joint Working Group on Functional Imaging in Cancer U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, 1998 NIH STUDY SECTIONS AND REVIEW PANELS: NCI In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Centers (ICMICs) Research Center Grants (P50) Study Section, 2010 - present NCI Program Project Grants (P01) Study Section, 2004 - present Biomedical Imaging Technology (BMIT-A) Study Section, 2005 - 2010 Medical Imaging and Exploratory Ultrasound Study Section, 2004 - 2007 Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Study Section, 2003 - 2006 NSF REVIEW PANELS: Biophotonics, Advanced Imaging and Sensing for Human (BISH) Program Review Panel, 2007 - present CAREER Awards Review Panel, 2010 - present Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) Program Review Panel, 2009 - present CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION: General Chair, Biomedical Optics and 3-D Imaging Congress, Miami, Florida, 2012 Chair, Symposium on Medical Diagnostics and Imaging, 4th International Conference on Smart Materials, Structures and Systems, Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, Italy, 2012 Chair and Organizer, Symposium on Spectroscopic Detection of Cancer and Precancerous Lesions, OSA Annual Meeting, Santa Clara, California, 1999 Program Committee for OSA Annual Meeting, Santa Clara, California, 1999 Chair and Organizer, Symposium on Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging of Biological Tissue, American Physical Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2000 Program Committee for BiOS 2000 International Symposium on Clinical Applications of Lasers and Optical Technology in Gynecology, San Jose, California, 2000 Program Committee for OSA Biomedical Topical Meeting on Advances in Optical Imaging and Photon Migration, Miami Beach, Florida, 2000 Chair and Organizer, Symposium on Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging of Biological Tissue, American Physical Society Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, 2001 Organizing Committee for LAT 2002 Conference on Laser Applications in Medicine, Moscow, Russia, 2002 Program Committee for BiOS 2002 International Symposium on Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedical Science and Clinical Applications, San Jose, California, 2002 Program Committee for OSA Biomedical Topical Meeting on Advances in Optical Imaging and Photon Migration, Miami Beach, Florida,2002 Chair, Symposium on Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedical Science: Biological Applications, BiOS 2002 International Conference, San Jose, California, 2002 Chair, Symposium on Confocal & Interference Microscopy, OSA Biomedical Topical Meeting on Advances in Optical Imaging and Photon Migration, Miami Beach, Florida, 2002 Program Committee for BiOS 2003 International Symposium on Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedical Science and Clinical Applications, San Jose, California, 2003 Program Committee for OSA Biomedical Topical Meeting on Advances in Optical Imaging and Photon Migration, Miami Beach, Florida, 2004 Chair, Symposium on Optical Trapping, Manipulation and Diagnostics, CLEO 2005, Baltimore, Maryland, 2005 Program Committee for BiOS 2006 International Symposium on Biomedical Applications of Light Scattering, San Jose, California, 2006 Chair, Symposium on Theory of Biomedical Applications of Light Scattering, BiOS 2006 International Symposium on Biomedical Applications of Light Scattering, San Jose, California, 2006 EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES Associate Editor, Biomedical Optics Express, 2010 - present Editorial Board Member, Nanophotonics, 2012 - present Editorial Board Member, Biomedical Optics Express, 2010 - present Guest Editorial Board Member, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2011 |
Major Collaborative Activities
| Collaboration with Boston University. CLASS microscopy of mucin granules in AGS gastric epithelial cells. Collaboration with Stanford University Medical School. Development of non-invasive optical monitoring of choroidal reaction to retinal laser therapy. Collaboration with the VA Medical Center in Bedford. Development of a light scattering technique for detecting Alzheimer's disease remotely through the skull. Collaboration with Stanford University. Optical detection of the reaction of organelles to cellular stress. |
Investigator's Lab Web Site
| Research Lab URL | Perelman Research Lab |
| Harvard Catalyst Site: | Perelman Harvard Catalyst Web Site |
