Prof. Ton van Leeuwen

Since the 80’s of the previous century, various groups in the Netherlands study the interaction of light with tissue. Their research has resulted in ‘ Biomedical optics’, the field that, based on the interaction between light and tissue, can obtain functional information at the molecular and cellular levels and novel therapeutic applications. It is a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of medicine, physics, optics, biomedical engineering, and imaging. Their research has resulted in new contrast mechanisms, new devices, collaboration with companies in large and small projects, IP and various spin-off companies. Consequently, in current clinical practice, optical techniques have become indispensable in the diagnostic process, patient monitoring, and the execution and monitoring of therapy.

Biography

Ton van Leeuwen graduated in physics at the University of Amsterdam in 1989. After his PhD and post doc at the Lab. for Exp. Cardiology at the UMC Utrecht and an ICIN fellowship at CWRU (Cleveland), he became staff member of the Laser Center at the AMC. In 2001, Ton was appointed as professor in Clinical Application of Biomedical Optics at the University of Twente, at which he headed the Biomedical Optics group from 2003 - 2008. In 2008 he was appointed as professor in Biomedical Photonics and head of the new BME & Physics department at the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam. In 2009, he was appointed as full professor in Biomedical Physics. Current research focuses on the physics of the interaction of light with tissue, and to use that knowledge for the development, introduction and clinical evaluation of (newly developed) optical imaging techniques for gathering quantitative functional and molecular information of tissue.