Bahman Anvari, Ph.D.

Changes in benign tissues next to prostate tumors may provide an early warning for patients at higher risk for biochemical recurrence after a radical prostatectomy, a study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions shows.

Biochemical recurrence, which is increasing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, can be used to predict which prostate cancer patients will develop local recurrence, distant metastases and death.

In a small sampling, image analysis of the adjacent tissue was a better predictor than the current standard for prognosis following the prostatectomy.

If preliminary findings are confirmed by further studies, they may help doctors decide sooner which patients need more follow-up therapies after surgery or should return for more regular monitoring.

“In a sense, this study is validating what a lot of people think regarding these cancers—that there is a field effect, as if the tumor has hard-to-see tentacles that can affect the patient and outcomes,” said Anant Madabhushi, the F. Alex Nason professor II of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve and leader of the research.

Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) Bioengineering (BIEN) Professor Bahman Anvari has been named to the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Class of 2016 Fellows. Fellow status is awarded to members who demonstrate exceptional achievements and experience in the field of biomedical engineering, as well as a record of membership and participation in the society.

The BMES Fellow distinction adds yet another recognition for Dr. Bahman. In 2010, he was inducted as a Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and, two years earlier, was named a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

His research is directed toward development and application of optical methods for biological measurements, imaging, and therapy. Specifically, current research areas include fabrication and application of self-assembled and optically-active nano-materials for imaging, and phototherapy of disease; and use of optical trapping methods to study the electromechanical properties of cell membranes. To date, Dr. Anvari’s research activities have been supported by various sources including The Whitaker Foundation, National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.