Laser-Tissue Interactions

Interactions of light with biological tissues include photo-chemical, thermal, mechanical and ionization phenomena. We study mechanisms of interaction of pulsed lasers with biological cells and tissues including:

• Non-damaging hyperthermia (milliseconds to seconds)
• Dynamics of photocoagulation (micro- to milliseconds).
• Explosive vaporization and cavitation (nano- to microseconds)
• Multiphoton dissociation and ionization of transparent materials (femto- to picoseconds)
  

We develop applications of these interactions to:

• Non-damaging and restorative ocular laser therapies (retina and trabecular meshwork)
• Alteration and surgery of transparent tissues (cornea and crystalline lens)