Michael C. Kolios

BSc (Waterloo), MSc, PhD (Toronto)
Associate Professor

Specialization

Ultrasound imaging and therapeutics, Ultrasound imaging, Heat transfer in tissue, Thermal Therapies

Research Projects

My research interests are in the application of ultrasound in medicine and the modeling of heat transfer in tissues. I am currently examining the potential of using high frequency ultrasound imaging (20-60MHz) for the detection of cell death. Even though at these frequencies we cannot resolve individual cells, we can examine the ultrasound backscatter from cell ensembles to make inferences about the state of the cells. We have found that the ultrasound backscatter from cells dying either by apoptosis (a form of cell suicide) or necrosis increases, and the frequency dependence of the backscatter power spectra can potentially be used to differentiate between the two, at least in the in vitro systems we have used to date. I am collaborating with researchers at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto to determine whether this methodology can also be used in animal tumor models (to detect the death of cancer cells), and we are currently participating in a clinical trial involving cancer patients with superficial tumors. We have developed theoretical models to better understand the backscattering process, and have used experimental systems to examine the backscatter from objects on the scale of cells for which we know their properties. Ultrasonic characterization of cells and cellular components is thus an ongoing interest in the lab. Ultrasound at higher intensities can be used to destroy tissues rather than image them. We have developed theoretical models to estimate temperatures during the heating of tissue using ultrasound or other sources (such as laser), and are currently examining the effect of blood flow on these heating patterns. Furthermore I am investigating the use of an acoustic camera to monitor the treated tissue non-invasively. The acoustic camera records how ultrasound is attenuated rather than detecting the backscatter as conventional ultrasound does.

Selected Publications

Funding

NSERC, NCIC, CIHR, The Whitaker Foundation, CFI, PREA

Website

http://web.physics.ryerson.ca/mkolios/

Group Members

Ryerson Students

Current Ph.D. Students:
Omar Falou

Current Masters Students:
Mehrnaz Tabibi
Jason Zalev
Devesh Bekah
Amin Jafari Sojahrood
Barry Vuong
Timothy Luk

Current Undergraduate Thesis Students:
Hamed Basseri
Eno Hysi
Denys Kozhevnikov

Undergraduate Research Assistants:
Patrick Kennedy
Shyn Huh

Alumni:
Eric Strohm
Ahmed El-Kaffas
Sarah Iradji
Robin Castelino
Ellie Soleimankhani
Darren Morofke (M.A.Sc. 2006)
Neeta Parmar (M.A.Sc 2005)
Noushin Farnoud (M.A.Sc. 2004)
Xuegang Su (M.A.Sc. 2003)

University of Toronto Students

Current Ph.D. Students
Ralph Baddour (M.Sc. 2003)
Golnaz Farhat

Alumni:
Adam Tunis (M.Sc. 2005)
Roxana Vlad (M.Sc. 2004, Ph.D. 2009)

Thesis Links

2011

Falou, Omar, "Modelling high frequency ultrasound scattering from cells and ultrasound contrast agents" (2011). Theses and dissertations. Paper 562.
http://digitalcommons.ryerson.ca/dissertations/562

2010

Zalev, Jason, "Detection and monitoring for cancer and abnormal vasculature by photoacoustic signal characterization of structural morphology" (2010). Theses and dissertations. Paper 560.
http://digitalcommons.ryerson.ca/dissertations/560

Bekah, Devesh, "Measurement of viscoelastic properties of treated and untreated cancer cells using passive microrheology" (2010). Theses and dissertations. Paper 565.
http://digitalcommons.ryerson.ca/dissertations/565

2009

Vlad, Roxana, Quantitative ultrasound characterization of responses to radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo. (2009)
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/19104

2008

Iradji, Sara, "Optimization of subharmonic generation from ultrasound contrast agents at high frequency ultrasound" (2008). Theses and dissertations. Paper 561.
http://digitalcommons.ryerson.ca/dissertations/561

El Kaffas, Ahmed, "Measuring the mechanical properties of apoptotic cells using particle tracking microrheology" (2008). Theses and dissertations. Paper 564.
http://digitalcommons.ryerson.ca/dissertations/564

2006

Vlad, Roxana, High frequency ultrasound for monitoring changes in liver tissue during preservation (2006) Theses and dissertations
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/mr02518.pdf

Tunis, Adam, Monitoring structural changes in cells and tissues with high frequency ultrasound signal statistics (2006) Theses and dissertations
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/mr02517.pdf

2004

Baddour, Ralph, High frequency ultrasound scattering from microspheres and single cells (2004) Theses and dissertations
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk4/etd/MQ91516.PDF

LinkedIn

http://ca.linkedin.com/in/michaelkolios