As part of the 34th Annual International Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS) from April 2-6, 2014 in Phoenix, AZ, the "Hot Topics" will include Photobiomodulation Sessions on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5.
The purpose of these sessions is to present and discuss the latest findings on basic mechanisms of photobiomodulation, including 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," said Juanita J. Anders, session director. "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," she added. Anders is a professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (Bethesda, MD). 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.
"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, co-director. 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.
To register or for more information, visit www.aslms.org/annualconference/annualconference, call 715-845-9283, or email [email protected].