Learn about our
Bioptics
Technology
LLC
Innovation to solve the challenges of tomorrow today.
Team
We're a team of thinkers, innovators. We are like-minded and focused on advancing technologies in the field of biomedical engineering including optigenics, imaging and non-invasive diagnostics.
Ms. Sun is the CEO and founder of Bioptics Technology LLC. She earned her dual degrees in engineering and business that enabled her to easily cross between the two fields. She has over 25 years of experience in business management, production quality control/assurance, procurement/sourcing, and strategy development.
She works closely with research function for new product development and marketing in the areas of capital investment evaluation, marketing analysis, and business plan development etc. Her educational background and previous working experience/skills are essential for successfully carrying out the proposed research work and future commercialization.
Dr. Yu is a Gill Eminent Professor in Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Pediatric at the University of Kentucky. He joined the BOT in 2018. He has over 30 years of experience in the field of optics, electronics, biomedical engineering, and medical applications.
He works extensively on developing various innovative optical imaging technologies and is the primary inventor of the innovative FLoupe™ and other patent technologies.
Dr. Chen is a research associate professor at the Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky. He joined the BOT in 2020. He has more than 20 years of research experience in designing experiments for optimizing and validating biomedical devices using tissue-simulating phantoms and animal models.
Dr. Irwin was a PhD student in Dr. Yu (PI)’s laboratory and then a research scientist after graduation. He joined the BOT recently. He has more than 10 years of research experience in developing various optical imaging devices.
Story
Bioptics Technology (BOT) was formed in 2018 initially to address the unmet need of biomedical imaging technologies for healthcare, and to provide a vehicle to commercialize and disseminate novel imaging technologies to various potential users, academic laboratories, biotech and biopharmaceutical companies, and hospitals.
Since it was established, BOT rapidly collaborated with scientists, researchers, and clinicians at the University of Kentucky (UK) to translate and commercialize benchtop technologies to preclinical and clinical applications. Particularly, BOT has established successful collaborations with Dr. Yu (PI)’s Bio-photonics Group at the UK Department of Biomedical Engineering. Several highly powerful functional imaging technologies have been invented by Dr. Yu’s team and are currently under testing in clinical settings including a Noncontact 3D Diffuse Optical Imaging of Deep Blood Flow Distribution (US Patent No. 9/861,319, issued 2018), a Compact Low-cost Fiberless Diffuse Speckle Contrast Flow-oximeter (US Patent No. 10/842,422, issued 2020), and a Loupe-based Intraoperative Imaging Device (FLoupe™) for the Guidance of Tumor Resection (US Patent Application 16/629,340, priority to 2017).
Importantly, these proprietary optical techniques provide many advanced features over other competitive technologies, which may lead to lasting impacts in biomedical engineering and medicine. Dr. Yu recently won Kentucky Innovator Awards (2018-2021) and UK OTC Commercialization Awards for Inventors, Entrepreneurs, and Startups (2018-2022).
In collaboration with Dr. Yu’s group, BOT has secured more than one million US dollars from federal agents and state matching funds to support the commercialization of these innovative optical imaging technologies:
- NIH/NCI 1R41CA243600, Development of a wearable fluorescence imaging device for intraoperative identification of brain tumors, Yu (PI), $210,428, 08/01/2019-07/31/2022
- Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Fund, Development of a wearable fluorescence imaging device for intraoperative identification of brain tumors, Yu (PI), $120,000, 08/01/2020-06/30/2021
- NIH/NINDS R41NS122722, High-density optical tomography of cerebral blood flow and metabolism in small animals, Yu (PI), $688,123, 08/15/2021-07/31/2023
Among several on-going commercialization projects, the STTR Phase 1 study (R41CA243600) was awarded with a perfect impact score of “10” to develop the innovative FLoupe™ for the guidance of brain tumor resection. Additionally, our innovative FLoupe™ technology was selected as the only invention from the University of Kentucky to be part of THE BRAIN RACE in 2019, a global competition to advance innovation in fighting brain tumors. The competition was started by the Center for Advancing Innovation (CAI) in partnership with The Brain Tumor Charity and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Our invention shares a spot with other high-ranking universities including Columbia University, Duke University, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Yale University. This recognition/honor suggests the potential of our innovative FLoupe™ technology for commercialization.
While being successful with these scientific and commercial efforts, we have taken a couple of early steps in company growth to develop a team with expertise in business, biomedical engineering, FDA regulation, commercialization strategy, and accountant/payroll skills in federal grant management. We anticipate that the opportunities to advance our innovative technologies such as FLoupe™ into the commercial phase will allow us to eventually generate revenue via licensing and sale of the technology/products.
The BOT laboratory is located at the A266 ASTeCC (Advanced Science & Technology Commercialization Center), 145 Graham Ave., Lexington, KY 40506-0286. ASTeCC is a UK business incubator housing new and emerging technology-based companies.
Collaborators
Thomas A. Pittman, MD, Clinical Consultant
Dr. Pittman is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, Co-Director of the Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Center, and Director of the Residency Program at the University of Kentucky. He has over 30 years of experience in neuro-oncology, microvascular surgery, epilepsy surgery, and craniofacial abnormalities with special expertise in brain tumors. Dr. Pittman has performed numerous cases of brain tumor resections using both wearable surgical eye loupes and large operative microscopes. He is one of the inventors for the FLoupe™
Yutong Gu, MSc, Technical/Industrial Consultant
Mr. Gu earned his MSc degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California. He is currently Co-Founder and VP of engineering at Juke Audio, Inc. Over the past five years, he worked as a consultant at the BOT to provide technical and industry support for multiple products that are being commercialized by BOT.