Mar 19 2014
"Hot Topics" at Laser 2014 will include a Photobiomodulation Session on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5 as part of the 34th Annual International Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS), April 2-6, 2014, Phoenix, AZ.
The purpose of this session is to present and discuss the latest findings on basic mechanisms of photobiomodulation, pre-clinical and clinical investigations on the critical parameters, mechanism, and effectiveness of light as a therapy for a broad range of clinical applications. Light and its photonic effects and photomedicine in general have gained recognition as an area of innovative and novel research with significant clinical implications.
"The photobiomodulation sessions will provide up-to-date information on the underlying science and medical benefits of low-level laser (light) therapy. The preclinical and clinical evidence for exciting new applications of photobiomodulation will be presented. Topics will include: effects of near-infrared light on mitochondrial signaling, photomodulation of acute inflammation, transcranial light penetration in human cadaver brains, photomodulation of stem cell, and light treatment of CNS injuries and neuropathic pain. A common thread throughout the photobiomodulation sessions is the effectiveness of light as a non-invasive treatment that alters inflammatory responses, accelerates healing and does not have the negative side effects normally associated with pharmacological agents," noted Juanita J. Anders, Ph.D., Session Director. Dr. Anders is a Professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She has held positions within ASLMS since 1991 including president-elect, vice president, committee chair, and board member.
The sessions are designed for scientists, engineers, medical practitioners, individuals in industry and other health care professionals involved in biomedical applications of light. Session participants should have an understanding of light interaction with biological tissues and basic and clinical research.
"The photobiomodulation sessions at the conference will provide up-to-date information on the underlying science and medical benefits of low-level laser (light) therapy. Particular attention will be paid to the applications of photobiomodulation in dermatology, neurology (including traumatic brain injury and pain reduction), wound healing, kidney disease, and lung function. In the future, many of these medical applications may be performed using inexpensive home-use consumer devices containing safe effective light-emitting diodes," said Michael R. Hamblin, Ph.D., Co-Director. Dr. Hamblin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, Principal Investigator at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Member of Affiliated Faculty at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology.
"Since 1966, lasers have been used in non-surgical applications including for experimental wound healing, pain reduction and acute inflammation of different tissues. Today, evidence based medicine provides the necessary support for effective treatment of injuries and diseases that have no current treatment such as spinal cord and brain injuries, acute inflammation soft and hard tissues and metabolic diseases. Light therapy could be used as an adjunctive treatment to other therapies, such as pharmaceuticals, with synergistic effect," said Leonardo Longo, M.D., Co-Director. Dr. Longo is an endocrinologist, Head of the Institute for Laser Medicine of Florence, Italy, Founding President of the International Academy for Laser Medicine and Surgery, President of Laser Florence, and has been a Fellow of the ASLMS since 1996.
Students and residents are admitted free of charge. Registration rates are $565 for members/applicants and $850 for non-members.
To register or for more information, visit www.aslms.org/annualconference/annualconference, call 715-845-9283 or email [email protected].
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS) is the world's largest scientific organization dedicated to promoting research, education and high standards of clinical care in the field of medical laser applications. It provides a forum for the exchange of scientific information and participates in communicating the latest developments in laser medicine and surgery to clinicians, research investigators, government and regulatory agencies, and the public.