Friday, May 2, 2008 - Dr. Jason Woods

     Today, we welcome Dr. Jason Woods, Jason is the son of Fellow Rotarian, Clay Woods. He graduated with a Ph.D. in physics from Rhodes College in Memphis in 1997, where his research focused on "hyperpolarized" media.

     Over the past 6 years Dr. Woods has helped build an interdisciplinary consortium of scientist for the department of physics, Radiology, Surgery, and Internal Medicine at Washington University to use MR and x-ray Ct imaging as bases for both greater understand of lung disease and the development of new treatments.  This consortium has been responsible for the development of a novel technique called "in-vivo lung morphometry" (where geometric data at the alvocolar level in the lung can be measured using pixels much larger than the alveoli themselves).

     He will be speaking today on the study of pulmonary emphusema, which he says some studies date back to the early 17th century. Also his discussion will be describing definitive therapies for end-stage lung disease remaining largely palliative, outside of lung transplantation. Also will discuss two new minimally-invasive tehchniques which are on the horizon for the treatment of severe emphusema.  Dr Woods will present data on a new imaging technique that uses hyperpolarized 3He gas to direcly regionally measure that collateral ventilation and which will likely be used for bronchoscopic guidancd in the future placement of interventions. 

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