Abstract：

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an example of a biomedical technology that has been translated from research to clinical practice. The development of OCT required a collaboration of engineering, clinical medicine and business, with government funding as well as industry investment playing key roles. OCT is now a standard of care ophthalmology with millions of procedures every year. It can detect eye disease at early treatable stages before vision impairment occurs, monitor disease progression and assess treatment response. OCT has had a powerful impact on health and wellbeing while also reducing health care costs. Continued research and development by the international community has made major advances in performance and functionality, enabling exciting new applications in diverse areas. This presentation discusses the development of OCT, its translation to clinical practice and its future potential.

Biography：

James Fujimoto is Elihu Thomson Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT, visiting professor of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine, and adjunct professor at the Medical University of Vienna. His group and collaborators were responsible for the invention and development of OCT, performing some of the first studies in ophthalmology. Working with Carmen Puliafito and Eric Swanson, he cofounded the startup company Advanced Ophthalmic Devices, which developed ophthalmic OCT and was acquired by Carl Zeiss. He also cofounded, with Eric Swanson and Mark Brezinski, LightLab Imaging, which developed intravascular OCT and was acquired by Goodman, Ltd. and St. Jude Medical. Dr. Fujimoto has published over 500 journal articles. He received the Zeiss Research Award in 2011, Optical Society of America Ives Medal in 2015, Beckman-Argyros Award in Vision Research in 2017 and the Honda Prize in 2024. He was co-recipient of the Champalimaud Vision Prize in 2012, National Academy of Engineering Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Award in 2017, European Inventor Award in 2017, Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award in 2023 and National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2023. Dr. Fujimoto has honorary doctorates from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland and Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.