Professor Sandy Cochran - University of Glasgow

Event details

Abstract

Fantastic Voyage, a 1960s film, suggested shrinking a submarine to the size of a microbe for therapeutic purposes. Ever since, researchers have aspired to explore artificial autonomous objects to operate in the human body. A successful example is the PillCam™, a device for video capsule endoscopy (VCE) in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. The idea originated in the 1980s but became possible only with the emergence of the CMOS camera in the 1990s. Introduced in a
seminal paper in 2000 [1], FDA approval was granted a year later. Since then, 3M+ VCE procedures have been performed globally, with the manufacturer acquired for $1B+ at current values. Now, VCE is recognised as an alternative to tethered endoscopy for some examinations of the GI tract, using a capsule, diameter ~10 mm, length ~30 mm, transmitting information from sensors for video, pH, temperature etc. [2] during natural passage through the gut. VCE causes no discomfort, carries almost no risk and provides reach through the entire GI tract.

Unlike conventional endoscopy, VCE lacks integration with ultrasound (US), restricting imaging to the surface of the intestinal epithelia, without the ability to detect, identify and assess deeper lesions. An aim of work over the past 20 years ago has been to improve detection of tissue anomalies and enhance diagnostic capabilities with a multimodal sensing platform including both ultrasound and white light imaging (WLI). Other capabilities explored include pressure measurement, active positioning with magnetically-coupled robotics [3] and potential delivery of therapeutics,
exemplified by insulin, through the gut epithelium. This presentation will provide an overview of achievements, with a focus on the demands and capabilities of mUS imaging and targeted drug delivery (TDD) subsystems. The development of the necessary technology is outlined, and its present status and future prospects are discussed. Specific approaches are described for both cases, drawn from recent publications [4][5].

[1] G. Iddan, G. Meron, A. Glukhovsky, and P. Swain, “Wireless capsule endoscopy,” Nature, vol. 405, no. 6785, Art. no. 6785, May 2000, doi: 10.1038/35013140.
[2] G.Cummins, et al. "Gastrointestinal diagnosis using non-white light imaging capsule endoscopy" Nat. Rev.
Gastroenterol. Hepatol. (2019) DOI 10.1038/s41575-019-0140-z
[3] J.C.Norton, P.R.Slawinski, H.S.Lay, J.W.Martin, B.F.Cox, G.Cummins, M.P.Y.Desmulliez, R.E.Clutton, K.L.Obstein, S.Cochran and P.Valdastri "Intelligent magnetic manipulation for gastrointestinal ultrasound" Sci. Robotics (2019) DOI 10.1126/scirobotics.aav7725
[4] A. C. Moldovan, M. V. Turcanu, S. Mitra, and S. Cochran, “Chapter 9 - Ultrasound technology for capsule endoscopy,” in Endorobotics, L. Manfredi, Ed. Academic Press, 2022, pp. 215–240. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-821750-4.00009-8.
[5] A.C.Moldovan, M.V.Turcanu, D.Lines, R.E.Clutton, J.Stevenson, I.S.Näthke, A.Gachagan, M.Thanou and S.Cochran “Ultrasound capsule device enhances intestinal absorption of insulin in pigs” Adv. Healthcare Mat., 2026, under review.

About the speaker

Sandy Cochran is Professor of Ultrasound Materials and Devices in the Centre for Medical and Industrial Ultrasonics, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, where he has led the eponymous US-MaD Group for 10 years and Co-Directs the Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Ultrasonic Engineering.

He holds BSc, MBA and PhD degrees from the University of Strathclyde and has carried out research in Physics, Engineering and Medical Schools in several Scottish universities, also holding several general management roles. His present interests are principally focused on high performance piezoelectric materials and low and high intensity applications of ultrasound for medical imaging and therapy. He has published 300+ papers and conference proceedings, delivered 150+ other
presentations and is an inventor on 10+ patents. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Senior Member of IEEE, and a Member of the Acoustical Society of America.