CENTRE CONTINUES BUSY PROGRAMME OF RESEARCH, TREATMENT & TRAINING

24th March 2009

Yorkshire Laser Centre – The UK Medical Laser Centre continues to be extremely active with a busy programme of research, treatment and training. Professor Moghissi - the Centre’s Clinical Director, staff and research associates have been involved in making numerous presentations at national and international medical conferences, publishing results and producing peer reviewed papers.

Results from a wide range of recently concluded research projects have been analysed and new programmes developed. The latest of these is the second phase of the Centre’s ‘First Light’ project in photo-detection (PD), which looks for pre-cursors of abnormal tissue that are invisible under normal light conditions. This has been made possible by the provision of the latest Xillix laser through the Moghissi Laser Trust charity.

The Centre pioneered the use of PD in conjunction with Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) to not only treat abnormal tissue early, but also to ensure tumours were removed effectively, with any signs of recurrence detected and treated quickly.

The partnership agreement with the NHS through North Lincolnshire & Goole Foundation Trust has seen a steady increase in the number of patients benefiting from laser treatment in a wide range of applications which now include treatment of cancer and other conditions in urology, dermatology, gynaecology, ophthalmology and general surgery – including tumours in the trachea, bronchus and oesophagus.

In addition, the Mobile Unit has continued to be available for the provision of equipment and expertise at remote centres for the delivery of treatment at patients’ local hospitals.

Training of surgeons from the UK and abroad in the use of lasers, PD and PDT has continued to ensure the spread of expertise to other medical centres, combined with the dissemination of the latest research findings and new techniques through the British Medical Laser Association and the European Platform for Photodynamic Medicine, the latter of which Professor Moghissi is President.

The development of research will be further strengthened in the coming year with the appointment of Dr Mark Stringer as Scientific Director. He is a Senior Research Fellow in the Institute of Microwaves and Photonics, University of Leeds. With a background based in laser physics, he has extensive experience involving laser applications. His role within the YCL is to provide scientific support in the establishment of novel technologies and clinical modalities.

Professor Moghissi continues as editor of the international Journal of Photodetection and Photodynamic Thearapy. He was also honoured with an award for his outstanding contribution to and achievements in Cardio Thoracic surgery at The 18th Annual World Congress of The World Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons (WSCTS) last year. The ceremony was carried out in the sacred grounds of the Asclepion on the Greek island of Cos, where the ceremony of the Hippocratic Oath was re-enacted.

In receiving the award Prof Moghissi said: “I am delighted to have been recognised by this international group of experts and to be part of the ongoing exploration of the future of our profession. We are making new and life changing discoveries at our Centre in the UK, however we know that by sharing research and good practice we can make further advances in our understanding of cardio – thoracic disease and the development of new treatments.”