To submit a manuscript for consideration in a Special Section, please prepare the manuscript according to the journal guidelines and use the Online Submission System.
To view a list of previously published Special Sections, see Past Special Sections.
FORTHCOMING SPECIAL SECTIONS:
Coherent Raman Imaging Techniques and Biomedical Applications
Pioneers in Biomedical Optics: Special Section Honoring Professor Michael Feld
Optical Diagnostic and Biophotonic Methods from Bench to Bedside
Pioneers in Biomedical Optics: Special Section Honoring Professor Tayyaba Hasan
Selected Topics in Biophotonics: Photodynamic Therapy and Optical Micromanipulation for Biophotonics
Endomicroscopy Technologies and Biomedical Applications Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing
Optical Methods in Vascular Biology and Medicine
March/April 2011
Coherent Raman Imaging Techniques and Biomedical Applications
Guest Editors:
 | Eric Potma
University of California, Irvine
Department of Chemistry
and
Beckman Laser Institute
Irvine, California 92697
E-mail: epotma@uci.edu |
 | Ji-Xin Cheng
Purdue University
Department of Chemistry
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
E-mail: jcheng@purdue.edu |
Call for Papers: Recently, the field of biomedical imaging has witnessed a rapid development of imaging techniques that enable label-free microscopic mapping of chemical compounds and constituents in tissues. Among these techniques, coherent Raman imaging methods, which include coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), have been particularly successful in providing biomedical scientists with chemically selective, high-resolution visualization tools. The unique imaging capabilities of coherent Raman microscopes have already been proved instrumental in the study of various diseases, including multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and obesity-related conditions. Moreover, technological advances have pushed the application of real-time vibrational imaging from in vitro to in vivo systems. At the same time, the continuous progress in sensitivity improvement has brought the detection of nonfluorescent drug compounds in vivo within reach. This special section seeks to paint a portrait of the current status of the field of coherent Raman scattering, both in terms of state-of-the-art technological developments as well as in terms of new biomedical imaging applications of the technique. Suggested topics include but are not limited to: light source development, compact microscope design, novel video-rate scanning approaches, fiber optic integration, advances in endoscopic probes for coherent Raman imaging, contrast enhancement through background suppression, new methods for detecting Raman coherences, adaptive optics for improved vibrational imaging of tissues, multimodal integration of rapid vibrational imaging with other imaging modalities, quantitative coherent Raman imaging, quantitative analysis, chemically selective vibrational imaging of tissues, in vivo imaging of animal models, and clinical translation of coherent Raman techniques.
Manuscripts due June 1, 2010.
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January/February 2011
Pioneers in Biomedical Optics: Special Section Honoring Professor Michael Feld
Guest Editors:
.jpg) | Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum
Rice University
Biomedical Engineering Department
Houston, Texas 77005
Tel: 512-471-2104
E-mail: rkortum@rice.edu |
 | Ramachandra R. Dasari
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
George R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Tel: 617-943-8418
E-mail: rrdasari@mit.edu |
Call for Papers: The Journal of Biomedical Optics is pleased to announce the sixth in a continuing series of special sections honoring Pioneers in Biomedical Optics. This section will honor Prof. Michael Feld of MIT. Previous JBO pioneers include Prof. Britton Chance, Prof. Watt Webb, Prof. Ashley J. Welch, Prof. Frans F. Jobsis, and Prof. Tayyaba Hasan [scheduled for Vol. 15(5), Sep./Oct. 2010] .
Professor Feld, who is professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and director of the George R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory, has made seminal contributions to both the fundamentals of laser physics and the applications of optical spectroscopy to biomedicine. He founded the National Institutes of Health–supported Laser Biomedical Research Center in 1985, where he has performed groundbreaking research in the uses of fluorescence, reflectance, elastic scattering, Raman, and coherence effects to characterize and image biological cells and tissues. These tools have been applied toward atherosclerosis detection, cancer diagnosis, blood glucose measurement, and 3-D single-cell tomography, among other projects. Papers are solicited for this special section on these and other topics that reflect the impact of Prof. Feld's contributions to the field of biomedical optics over the course of his distinguished career, and that honor the mentoring he has provided to so many current researchers.
Manuscripts due March 1, 2010.
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November/December 2010
Optical Diagnostic and Biophotonic Methods from Bench to Bedside
Guest Editors:
 | Bruce Tromberg, Ph.D.
Univ. of California/Irvine
Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic
1002 Health Sciences Road East
Irvine, California 92612
Tel: 949-824-8705
Fax: 949-824-8413
E-mail: bjtrombe@uci.edu |
Call for Papers: Photonics technologies continue to move from benchtop to bedside at an extremely fast rate. Optical methods are increasingly used in minimally and noninvasive imaging, multimodality imaging, phototherapeutics, and image-guided therapies. Their impact has been enormous, ranging from cutaneous and ophthalmic diseases, to cancer, neuroscience, vascular disease, and small animal imaging. Despite these impressive gains, there are significant barriers to the cost-effective translation of optical methods to the clinic. This special section follows the Sixth Inter-Institute Workshop on Optical Imaging at the National Institutes of Health and will be devoted to all aspects of bringing optical technologies from the blackboard, where quantitative theories are devised; to the bench, where instrumentation is designed and tested; and finally to the bedside, where performance is validated in a demanding clinical setting. Special emphasis will be placed on the challenges associated with developing new, cost-effective methods and devices that have the potential to significantly enhance patient care.
Manuscripts due February 1, 2010.
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September/October 2010
Pioneers in Biomedical Optics: Special Section Honoring Professor Tayyaba Hasan
Guest Editors:
Lothar D. Lilge, Ph.D.
Ontario Cancer Institute
610 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9 Canada
Tel: 416-946-4501 x5743
E-mail: llilge@uhnres.utoronto.ca
Call for Papers: The Journal of Biomedical Optics is pleased to announce the fifth in a continuing series of special sections honoring Pioneers in Biomedical Optics. The first four JBO pioneers were Prof. Britton Chance, Prof. Watt Webb, Prof. Ashley J. Welch, and Prof. Frans F. Jobsis.
The fifth special section in this series will honor Prof. Tayyaba Hasan of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Harvard Medical School. Her career has spanned a range of topics in photomedicine including basic photochemistry, photobiology, and photodynamic therapy (PDT), leading to the invention of PDT for age-related macular degeneration. Her work in immunotargeting, optical spectroscopy, and in vivo optical imaging of tissue is ongoing through funding from the National Institutes of Health. Her second appointment in the MGH Office for Research Career Development has her involved in mentoring scientists at all stages of their careers and helping establish pathways for career growth at one of the largest biomedical research institutions in the world.
Papers are solicited on a variety of topics related to photochemistry, photodynamic therapy, immunotargeting, nanoparticle targeting, optical imaging, and spectroscopy. Submissions are expected to reflect the impact of Dr. Hasan's contributions to the field of biomedical optics over the course of her distinguished career.
Manuscripts due January 15, 2010.
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July/August 2010
Selected Topics in Biophotonics: Photodynamic Therapy and Optical Micromanipulation for Biophotonics
Guest Editors:
Every other year, an international graduate summer school is held on the island of Ven in Sweden organised between Lund University in Sweden and the Technical University of Denmark in Denmark (www.biop.dk/biophotonics09/). At the school, 75 graduate students and postdocs from all over the world participate. When applying for admission into the school, students submit a three-page summary of their research, which is reviewed by the organizers. Students are selected on the basis of their summary. This call for papers reflects core topics of the school and spans the fields of photodynamic therapy and optical micromanipulation for biophotonics.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown great potential as an effective and targeted therapy, and is clinically accepted for several clinical indications, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and non-melanoma skin cancer. However, other indications and new drugs are constantly being researched and new methodologies are being investigated. Areas of interest for this part of the special section include, but are not limited to:
- Novel dosimetry concepts in PDT,
- Spectroscopy to improve understanding on photodynamic reactions and treatment response,
- PDT for new indications,
- Novel concepts for improved specificity,
- Photochemical internalization,
- In vivo studies of novel PDT agents, including nanoparticles.
Optical tweezers are powerful noncontact tools that allow micrometer-sized particles to be grabbed, moved, and generally manipulated solely with light. Optical tweezers have forged an important bridge between physics, chemistry, and biology. Using novel light sources we can perform new bioscience, e.g., femtosecond optical traps that may be used for cell detection and simultaneous trapping and two-photon excitation. Areas of interest for this part of the special section include, but are not limited to:
- Optical trapping for cell sorting and manipulation,
- Optical trapping and microfluidics,
- Femtosecond optical traps,
- Light sources and systems for optical trapping.
Closed for submissions.
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May/June 2010
Endomicroscopy Technologies and Biomedical Applications
Guest Editors:
 | Xingde Li, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Department of Biomedical Engineering
720 Rutland Avenue, Ross 731B
Baltimore, Maryland 21205
Tel: 410-955-0075
Fax: 410-502-9814
E-mail: xingde@jhu.edu |
Warren S. Grundfest, M.D.
University of California – Los Angeles
Department of Bioengineering
420 Westwood Plaza, 4121H Engineering V
Los Angeles, California 90095-1600
Tel: 310-794-5550
Fax: 310-794-5956
E-mail: warrenbe@seas.ucla.edu
Recent advances in fiber optics, micro-optics, miniature light sources, sensitive detectors, and microelectromechanical systems technologies have promoted rapid development and clinical translation of high-resolution optical imaging technologies for endomicroscopic assessment of internal organs with unprecedented resolution. These technologies include but are not limited to: confocal, optical coherence tomography, multiphoton fluorescence, second-harmonic generation, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy microscopy. The emerging endomicroscopy technologies permit easy interface with current standard “red-flagging” diagnostic endoscopy instruments, enabling real-time noninvasive “optical biopsy” in situ with a great potential to improve current diagnostic yields. In certain organs such as the upper gastrointestinal tract, this integration makes it possible to combine early diagnosis and treatment (e.g., endoscopic mucosal resection) of localized cancer for the first time during a single procedure. This special section seeks to capture the state-of-the-art development of endomicroscopy technologies. Suggested topics include but are not limited to: light delivery systems, ultrafast pulse or broadband spectrum diagnostic systems, miniature aberration-corrected optics, ultracompact scanning devices, system integration, interface with current standard clinical instruments, performance validation, information interpretation, quantitative analysis, in vivo animal model imaging, clinical translation/applications, and demonstration of novel in vivo contrast that was not previously available with current clinical endoscopy technologies. Other topics related to endoscopic optical spectroscopy in situ, the combination of imaging and spectroscopy, and the combination of endomicroscopy and molecular probes are also welcome.
Closed for submissions.
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March/April 2010
Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing
Guest Editors:
 | Lihong V. Wang, Ph.D.
Washington University in St. Louis
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Optical Imaging Laboratory
One Brookings Drive
Campus Box 1097
St. Louis, Missouri 63130-4899
Tel: 314-935-6152
Fax: 314-935-7448
E-mail: lhwang@seas.wustl.edu |
Hybrid imaging and sensing using both light and sound is one of the fastest-growing areas of research in biomedical optics. Hybrid modalities are capable of deep tissue penetration, high ultrasonic resolution, and speckle-free optical contrast. Important emerging applications include in vivo functional and molecular imaging of cancer, neurophysiology, and vascular disease in both human subjects and preclinical animal models. Major challenges in this field include the development of quantitative methods for functional and molecular imaging and the design of systems for preclinical and clinical applications that provide contrast and resolution close to the theoretical limits, thereby enabling new healthcare paths in the future. This special section will cover all topics related to hybrid imaging with light and sound, including, but not limited to:
- photoacoustic (optoacoustic) microscopy,
- photoacoustic (optoacoustic) imaging and computed tomography,
- photoacoustic (optoacoustic) sensing and spectroscopy,
- microwave-induced thermoacoustic tomography,
- temperature imaging based on the photoacoustic effect,
- dual-modality optical-ultrasound imaging,
- molecular and nanoparticle contrast agents,
- ultrasound-modulated optical (acousto-optical) tomography,
- image reconstruction and signal processing algorithms,
- applications of hybrid modalities in biology and medicine.
Closed for submissions.
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January/February 2010
Optical Methods in Vascular Biology and Medicine
Guest Editors:
 | Brett E. Bouma, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Department of Dermatology
Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology
Wellman Center for Photomedicine
Massachusetts General Hospital
BAR 703, 40 Blossom Street
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: 617-726-9007
Fax: 617-726-4103
E-mail: bouma@helix.mgh.harvard.edu |
 | Bernard Choi, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic
Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Surgery
1002 Health Sciences Road East
Irvine, CA 92612
Tel: 949-824-9491
Fax: 949-824-6969
E-mail: choib@uci.edu |
 | Dai Fukumura, M.D., Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital
Edwin L. Steele Laboratory
Department of Radiation Oncology
100 Blossom Street, Cox-7
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: 617-726-8143
Fax: 617-724-5841
E-mail: dai@steele.mgh.harvard.edu |
 | Rakesh K. Jain, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital
Edwin L. Steele Laboratory
100 Blossom Street, Cox-7
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: 617-726-4083
Fax: 617-724-1819
E-mail: jain@steele.mgh.harvard.edu |
Recent developments in optical imaging, microscopy, and spectroscopic techniques have revolutionized the fields of vascular biology and medicine. Noninvasive in vivo quantitation and localization of hemodynamic parameters at the molecular, cellular, and bulk tissue level is now possible in studies of vascular disease progression and response to therapeutic intervention. For this special section, we welcome submissions from scientists, engineers, and clinicians who are developing and/or applying optical technologies to study biological and biomedical issues related to the vasculature. The scope of this special section will emphasize three major themes of contemporary research in vascular biology and medicine:
- Interventional Cardiology emphasizes development and application of catheter-based methods to perform minimally invasive optical spectroscopy, imaging, and treatment of structural vascular disease.
- Wide-Field Vascular Imaging involves development and application of optical technologies to image vasculature and hemodynamics with a field of view on the order of millimeters to centimeters.
- The third theme will involve development and application of optical methods to study Angiogenesis and Vascular Functions during normal and abnormal tissue development and in response to therapeutic intervention.
Closed for submissions.
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