Professor Aaron Fenster
Position:
- Director, Imaging Research, Robarts Research Institute
- Affiliate, University of Western Ontario
- Affiliate, London Health Sciences Centre (Canada)
- Chair, Basic Science Division, University of Western Ontario, Department of Medical Imaging
Websites:
Biography:
Dr Fenster received his PhD in 1976 from the Department of Medical Biophysics of the University of Toronto for research, under the supervision of Dr H. E. Johns. His first academic appointment was at the Department of Radiology and Medical Biophysics of the University of Toronto from 1979 to 1987, and the Director of the Radiological Research laboratories of the Department of Radiology. In 1987 he moved to London (Canada), and became a Scientist and founding Director of the Imaging Research Laboratories (IRL) at the Robarts Research Institute and Professor at The University of Western Ontario (UWO) in Radiology and Medical Biophysics. In addition to his leadership at the Robarts, he is the founder and Associate Director of a new interdisciplinary graduate Program at UWO in Biomedical Engineering, combining strengths of basic scientists, engineers and clinician scientists in three faculties (Medicine & Dentistry, Engineering and Health Sciences). He is also the Chair of the Basic Science Division of the Department of Medical Imaging at UWO. This Division combines the strengths in imaging research across London’s Institutions, which combined, makes the London medical imaging research community one of the largest in the world with over 350 staff and students and $100M in research equipment. Currently, he holds a Canada Research Chair-Tier 1 in Biomedical Engineering and he is the recipient of the 2007 Premier’s Award for Innovative Leadership.
Fenster’s group has focused on the development of 3D ultrasound imaging with diagnostic and surgical/therapeutic cancer applications in humans as well as mouse research models. His team developed the world’s firsts in 3D ultrasound imaging of the carotids and prostate, 3D ultrasound guided prostate cryosurgery and brachytherapy, 3D ultrasound guided prostate and breast biopsy for early diagnosis of cancer and 3D ultrasound images of mouse tumours and their vasculature. Fenster’s research has resulted in 34 patents (25 awarded and nine pending) and the formation of two companies in London (Life Imaging Systems and Enhanced Vision Systems), with Fenster as a founding scientist. In addition, some of his patents have been licensed to 11 different companies, which have commercialized them for world-wide distribution.
Work Focus:
- Work Focus (Biomedical): basic science
3-D Ultrasound, marker discovery, marker testing, technology development, prostate biopsy.
