Ben Lertsakdadet
Section 1
[Name]: Ben Lertsakdadet
[Department]: Beckman Laser Institute
[Mentor]: Bernard Choi
Project Title: Noninvasive, point-of-care monitoring of neonatal intestinal blood flow
Summary:
My research involves the use of an imaging technique known as Laser Speckle Imaging (LSI) to measure blood flow. One of my projects was to take the conventionally, mounted LSI system and adapt it into a user-friendly, handheld device. We have used our handheld LSI device to measure blood flow in burn studies, and we will continue to work on improving our handheld LSI device. Another project involved a collaboration with the Institute of Surgical Research at San Antonio, TX, to look at the blood flow in failed versus successful burn treatments. We are using LSI to help clinicians assess immediately after a burn treatment has been provided whether it will eventually fail or succeed. My last project involved collaborative work with clinicians at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). My research at CHOC attempts to measure blood flow in premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In addition to my project in the NICU, I have also created a blood flow measuring device that will be used in the operating room to assist clinicians during surgical procedures.