Dr B. Helfield
Applications accepted all year round
About the Project
Sonoporation, the reversible and transient opening of cell plasma membranes using ultrasound and microbubbles, is an exciting new approach to targeted and local therapeutic delivery in cancer and cardiovascular disease applications. The proposed project seeks to investigate the physics of acoustically-triggered microbubble vibration and its relation to sonoporation and local drug delivery. This is accomplished by recording the scattering of ultrasound from microbubbles, including harmonic and subharmonic emissions, and correlating these with cell membrane perforation measures. Students will gain expertise in ultrasound imaging, signal analysis, physical acoustics, bubble synthesis and characterization, cell culturing and fluorescence microscopy.
The group of Professor Helfield, situated within both the Department of Physics and Biology, works on the development of an image-guided, targeted drug/gene delivery platform using biomedical ultrasound for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This involves using focused ultrasound and acoustically-sensitive agents to spatially and temporally target therapeutic delivery to regions of disease.
Concordia Department of Physics is a growing department in a university with rapidly increasing rating. We offer research-based M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs. Our faculty members conduct research in the areas of Condensed Matter Physics (theoretical and experimental), Molecular Biophysics, Medical Physics / Imaging, Photonics, Theoretical High Energy Physics, Computational Physics and Physics Education.
Funding Notes
Successful applicant will be offered a financial package consisting of RA, TA and various awards of at least 20,000 CAD per year (often more), for 4 years PhD. International students will be offered tuition remissions or other awards to compensate for the international tuition fees.
Please contact Dr. Brandon Helfield ([Email Address Removed]) or Professor Valter Zazubovits, Graduate Program Director ([Email Address Removed]) for more information.