Curing with Sound

Ep3: Nir Lipsman, MD, PhD | Pioneering Focused Ultrasound Applications for the Brain


Listen Later

In this episode of Curing with Sound, Dr. Neal Kassell, founder and chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, is joined by Dr. Nir Lipsman, a neurosurgeon and senior scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Kassell considers Dr. Lipsman to be one of the most influential clinicians in the development and adoption of focused ultrasound, having pioneered several world-first clinical trials for various brain disorders.




Throughout the conversation, Dr. Lipsman discusses the evolution of his focused ultrasound program at Sunnybrook, which has grown exponentially over the past decade. His team has treated over 500 patients across a wide range of indications, including essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depression, and various types of brain tumors.

One of the most exciting aspects of Dr. Lipsman's work is the use of focused ultrasound for opening the blood-brain barrier to enhance drug delivery.

He shares the groundbreaking results of a trial in which they were able to visually confirm the passage of a large molecule, trastuzumab, directly into the brain to target metastatic breast cancer tumors. This achievement holds immense promise for the treatment of numerous brain disorders, particularly in the neurodegenerative space, where focused ultrasound could potentially change the natural history of diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.



Dr. Lipsman emphasizes the importance of collaboration and parallel progress in advancing the field of focused ultrasound. He highlights the critical role of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in supporting and fostering the growth of his program and the global focused ultrasound community.



Looking to the future, Dr. Lipsman envisions focused ultrasound becoming a routine, well-tolerated outpatient procedure that can not only treat but also prevent and diagnose brain disorders. He remains committed to building a strong, multidisciplinary team at Sunnybrook and working with the global community to bring the transformative potential of focused ultrasound to patients worldwide.

Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation 


Show Transcript


----------------------------
QUESTIONS?
Email [email protected] if you have a question or comment about the show, or if you would you like to connect about future guest appearances. 

Email [email protected] if you have questions about focused ultrasound or the Foundation. 

FUSF SOCIAL MEDIA

  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  • FUSF WEBSITE

    https://www.fusfoundation.org

    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
    https://www.fusfoundation.org/newsletter-signup/

    READ THE LATEST NEWSLETTER
    https://www.fusfoundation.org/the-foundation/news-media/newsletter/

    DOWNLOAD "THE TUMOR" BY JOHN GRISHAM (FREE E-BOOK)
    https://www.fusfoundation.org/read-the-tumor-by-john-grisham/

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Curing with SoundBy Focused Ultrasound Foundation

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    13 ratings


    More shows like Curing with Sound

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,178 Listeners

    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    31,966 Listeners

    Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

    Hidden Brain

    43,481 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    111,115 Listeners

    Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

    Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

    14,796 Listeners

    Consider This from NPR by NPR

    Consider This from NPR

    5,964 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    15,285 Listeners