The 7th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound addressed a wide range of topics as the field of focused ultrasound continues to grow. 

The program explored the latest in using focused ultrasound to treat a range of conditions across oncology, neurology, women's health, cardiovascular disease, pediatrics, and more. We also addressed challenges to widespread adoption – such as technology gaps and commercialization efforts.

New features this year, included:

• On-demand oral presentations – prerecorded videos that attendees could select and watch at any time – and live Q&A sessions.
  
  
• Panel presentations followed by live discussion with the opportunity for audience questions.
  
  
• Roundtable discussions on various topics to promote informal discussion among virtual attendees. Learn more about the Roundtables >
  
  
• Two fireside chats addressed timely topics in focused ultrasound research: gene therapy and cancer therapy.
  
  
• Carveout sessions allowed two of the Foundation’s partner organizations – the Internationsal Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – to have the floor during our meeting.
  
  
• On the morning of Friday, November 13, there were two, concurrent tracks of programming. Track A was a full day of programming on commercialization, including an FDA Town Hall and issues related to business models, regulatory, reimbursement, and more. Track B was a half-day covering brain technical, imaging, and technology gaps and breakthroughs.

See the 2020 Symposium Final Program Grid >

Final Program

Oral Presentations and Posters were available on-demand all day.

All times are in U.S. Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5)

Monday, 9 November 2020

8:00 AM — Welcome Message from FUS Foundation Chairman
                     Honorary President's Address: Joan Vidal-Jové
                     Keynote Address: Ralph Northam
8:38 AM — Break
8:43 AM — Movement Disorders Oral Presentation Q&A
9:04 AM — Parkinson's Disease Panel Discussion
10:04 AM — Break
10:19 AM — Special Lecture on Neurodegenerative Diseases
10:43 AM — Neurodegenerative Diseases Oral Presentation Q&A
11:03 AM — Neurodegenerative Diseases Panel Discussion
11:54 AM — Break
11:59 AM — Epilepsy Oral Presentation Q&A
12:19 PM — Epilepsy Panel Discussion
1:19 PM — Break
1:34 PM — Special Lecture on Psychiatric Disorders
1:55 PM — Psychiatric Disorders Oral Presentation Q&A
2:15 PM — Psychiatric Disorders Panel Discussion
3:09 PM — Break
3:14 PM — Neuromodulation Oral Presentation Q&A
4:35 PM — Panel Discussion: Focused Ultrasound for Neuromodulation: Considerations for Human Translation
5:17 PM — End of day

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

8:00 AM — Brain Tumors Oral Presentation Q&A
8:22 AM — Brain Tumors Panel Discussion
9:14 AM — Break
9:29 AM — Keynote Address: Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer Therapy: New insights into therapeutic mechanisms of anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD-1. James Allison, PhD
10:14 AM — Cancer Immunotherapy — Brain — Oral Presentation Q&A
10:36 AM — Break
10:41 AM — Cancer Immunotherapy — Breast — Oral Presentation Q&A
11:03 AM — Break
11:08 AM — Cancer Immunotherapy — Other — Oral Presentation Q&A
11:28 AM — Cancer Immunotherapy Panel Discussion
12:19 AM — Fireside Chat with Chandan Guha — Cancer Therapy: Beyond Ionizing Radiation
12:51 PM — Break
1:03 PM — Special Lecture: Focused Ultrasound and Liquid Biopsy in Brain Tumors: A critical role for the blood brain barrier? Chetan Bettegowda and Graeme Woodworth
1:24 PM — Break
1:29 PM — Special ISTU Session
       Updates & Introduction
       Lizzi Award Winner Presentations
       Remembering Charles Cain: A Pioneer and Leader in Focused Ultrasound
2:48 PM — Break
3:01 PM — Roundtable Discussions
4:01 PM — End of day

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

8:00 AM — Keynote Address: Michael Milken
8:40 AM — Breast Cancer Panel Discussion
9:25 AM — Break
9:40 AM — Special Lecture on Prostate Cancer: Howard Soule
10:00 AM — Prostate Oral Presentation Q&A
10:20 AM — Prostate Panel Discussion
11:22 AM — Break
11:27 AM — Awards Ceremony
       Visionary Award: Larry Crum
       Ferenc Jolesz Memorial Award: Nir Lipsman
       Andrew J. Lockhart Memorial Award: Matthew Bucknor and Pejman Ghanouni
12:15 PM — Break — Break
12:30 PM — Pancreatic Cancer Oral Presentation Q&A
12:50 PM — Pancreatic Cancer Panel Discussion
1:39 PM — Break
1:44 PM — Liver Oral Presentation Q&A
2:06 PM — Break
2:11 PM — Miscellaneous Tumors Oral Presentation Q&A
2:33 PM — Break
2:43 PM — Roundtable Discussions
3:43 PM — Wednesday end of day

Thursday, 12 November 2020

8:00 AM — Keynote Address: Clifton Leaf
8:24 AM — Blood-Brain Barrier Opening — Technical — Oral Presentation Q&A
8:46 AM — Break
8:51 AM — Blood-Brain Barrier Opening — Other — Oral Presentation Q&A
9:13 AM — Break
9:18 AM — Drug Delivery Oral Presentation Q&A
9:38 AM — Drug Delivery Panel Discussion
10:31 AM — Break
10:46 AM — Fireside Chat with Nathalie LaCave on Gene Therapy
11:10 AM — Break
11:15 AM — Miscellaneous Indications Oral Presentation Q&A
11:37 AM — Break
11:42 AM — Musculoskeletal Applications Oral Presentation Q&A
12:02 PM — Musculoskeletal Applications Panel Discussion
12:48 PM — Break
1:03 PM — Chronic Pain Oral Presentation Q&A
1:25 PM — Break
1:30 PM — Women's Health Panel Discussion
2:17 PM — Break
2:22 PM — Roundtable Discussions
3:22 PM — Thursday end of day

Friday, 13 November 2020 — Track A

8:00 AM — Keynote Address: The Role of MedTech in Driving Patient Outcomes. Omar Ishrak
                   Investor Ecosystem 101
                   Navigating the Investor Ecosystem
9:23 AM — Break
9:28 AM — Business Models 101
                   Business Model Trends in the Med Tech Industry
                   Dancing with a Giant: Tips for Productive Relationships between Startups and Corporates
                   Exits: Considering IPOs vs Acquisitions vs Mergers
11:20 AM — Break
11:50 AM — FDA Town Hall
12:45 PM — Break
12:50 PM — The Power of Advocacy Organizations
                   Regulatory: Dan Schultz, Greenleaf
                   Reimbursement: Stephanie Keenan, McGuire Woods
                   How Medical Specialty Societies Influence Reimbursement
2:14 PM — Break
2:19 PM — Real World Examples of FUS Site Success — Panel Discussion
3:08 PM — Break
3:13 PM — Training Certification and Credentialing — Panel Discussion
3:59 PM — Closing Remarks

Friday, 13 November 2020 — Track B

8:00 AM — Keynote Address: The Role of MedTech in Driving Patient Outcomes. Omar Ishrak
8:21 AM — Brain Technical — Imaging — Oral Presentation Q&A
8:41 AM — Brain Technical — Imaging — Panel Discussion
9:13 AM — Break
9:28 AM — Brain Technical — Miscellaneous — Oral Presentation Q&A
9:48 AM — Brain Technical — Beyond Ablation Research — Panel Discussion
10:34 AM — Break
10:49 AM — Technical Research Oral Presentation Q&A
11:09 AM — Technology Gaps & Breakthroughs Panel Discussion
12:14 PM — Closing Remarks

Roundtable Discussions

Scheduled roundtables began after the completion of the scientific program on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Each roundtable session could have a maximum of sixteen participants, and discussions were not recorded. 

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