Journal of Bioengineering & Biomedical Science

Calum MacAulay

Biography

 Dr. Calum MacAulay, PhD serves as Head, Cancer Imaging Department, B.C. Cancer Research Centre, BCAA. Dr. MacAulay serves as Advising CSO of LED Dental, Inc. Dr. MacAulay is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and an Associate Member of the Physics Department at the University of British Columbia. Dr. MacAulay works on the quantitative imaging of early cancers at both the macroscopic and microscopic level using light and its interaction with tissue. He serves as Member of Scientific Advisory Board at Remicalm, LLC. His research interests include reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy and other techniques of optical imaging in the diagnosis of pre-cancers and cancers, as well as the development of computer-assisted image cytometry for the reading of cellular and tissue specimens. His projects have focused on reducing the mortality of lung cancer through early detection using quantitative automated sputum analysis, light induced fluorescence endoscopy for detection and localization within the bronchial tree, quantitative analysis of biopsy tissue and chemoprevention. In addition to Dr. MacAulay’s academic appointments, he is also a member of numerous scholarly societies, organizations and editorial boards. He is an inventor and/or co-inventor in 18 granted patents and 35 pending patents with numerous provisional patents recently filed. Dr. MacAulay is responsible for over 200 peer-reviewed publications and 13 book chapters. He has played an integral role in a team effort to establish the genetic damage involved in the development of early lung cancer. It is, in part, his strong desire to see the results of research in clinical use that has led to the successful transfer of technology into four spin-off companies. He has been awarded i) The B.C. Lung Association Scholar (1990-1995), ii) The Friesen-Rygiel Prize for outstanding Canadian academic discovery leading to uniquely positioned commercialization opportunities (1999), and iii) The Young Innovator Award, B.C. Science and Technology Award, Science Council of B.C.(1999). Dr. MacAulay’s research continues to be focused on the early detection of cancer of the lung, cervix and breast. Dr. MacAulay received his Ph.D in 1989 from the University of British Columbia in Physics, and his M.Sc. in 1985 from Dalhousie University in Physics, and an Engineering Physics B.Sc. in 1982 from Dalhousie.

Research Interest

 My research focuses on the research and development of new means for the detection, grading, and treatment of early, non-invasive cancer and to see these means used clinically. It has long been, recognized that all cancer can be successfully treated at an early stage, including cancer of the lung, breast, cervix, colon and prostate. Towards this goal the multi-disciplinary in which I participate have developed several new devices employing solid state sensors and advanced light sources coupled with computer technology. These devices make previously invisible early cancers readily detectable. We developed a device called the Light Induced Fluorescence Endoscope (LIFE), enabling a more than 2X improvement in early lung cancer detection.