Metaoptics, OCT, and the Future of Lung Biopsies with Reza Khorasani - Ep 18

During a lung biopsy, physicians must navigate a needle to a suspected lesion deep within the body, often with limited visibility of the tissue directly in front of the needle tip. What if they could see exactly where they were before taking the sample?In this episode of Rays and Waves, Daniel and Steven sit down with Reza Khorasani, Founder and CEO of LEADOPTIK. During his postdoctoral work in Federico Capasso's group at Harvard, Reza helped pioneer metaoptics and metalenses through several influential research contributions. Today, he is bringing those innovations into the clinic through needle-based optical imaging systems that combine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and advanced metaoptics to provide real-time visualization during lung biopsies.We explore the optical engineering behind this remarkable technology, the challenges of translating cutting-edge research into medical devices, and Reza's journey from academia to building a fast-growing medtech startup with the potential to improve cancer diagnostics and patient outcomes.If you enjoy the show, share it with your colleagues, subscribe, and leave us a review! Got thoughts or questions? Reach out at rays.and.waves.podcast@gmail.comMusic is Good Vibe by Twisterium. Thanks for the great tunes!