Full professor
Affiliation
Université de Montréal
Research Axes
Team
- Charles Bélanger Nzakimuena
- Denise Descovich
- Nicolas Desjardins-Lecavalier
- Erika Hooker
- Annie Laporte
- Marisse Massis-Solano
- Graziana Modica
- Emmanuel Richer
- Joannie Roy
- Sebastien This
Santiago Costantino is the head of the Vision Health research axis as well as the director of the biophotonics research unit at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center. With an in-depth knowledge of biophysics, biophotonics and micro-engineering, he applies the science of lasers and microscopy to the domain of biomedical research. He is also a full professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at University of Montreal.
Research Unit
Our laboratory studies biophotonics, a field that combines biology and optics. We specialize in image analysis and have a variety of research projects that focus on two main areas:
- The manipulation of cells using lasers
- The study of the biomechanics of the eye using optical coherence tomography (OCT)
We specialize in image analysis. Our research team includes biologists, physicists, engineers, and eye specialists. We developed a technique using laser micro-engineering to identify and isolate rare cells from heterogenous populations based on distinct visual traits. This technique can be used to study a variety of biological processes, for example, motility in a rare population of highly metastatic cancer cells. This same technique can be used to design artificial microenvironments for cellular biology applications.
In parallel, we study ocular rigidity and its role in various ocular pathologies. By analysing OCT images, our clinical research team aims to understand ocular pathologies, such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and even space-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) in a collaborative project with NASA.
Finally, for all our projects we use and develop cutting-edge image analysis algorithms, including, among others, artificial intelligence.
Grants
- CRSNG/NSERC
- IRSC/CIHR
- CRS
- FRQS
- CSA - NASA
Publications
Voir toutes les publications-
Binan L, et al. (2019). Opto-magnetic capture of individual cells based on visual phenotype. eLife
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Binan L, et al. (2016) Live single-cell laser tag. Nat Commun. 2016 May 20;7:11636
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Bélisle JM, et al. Patterning protein concentration using laser-assisted adsorption by photobleaching, LAPAP. Lab Chip. 2008 Dec;8(12):2164-7.
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Sayah DN, Mazzaferri J, Descovich D, Costantino S, Lesk MR. (2020). The Association Between Ocular Rigidity and Neuroretinal Damage in Glaucoma. Investigative Ophtalmology & Visual Science
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Mazzaferri J, et al. Open-source algorithm for automatic choroid segmentation of OCT volume reconstructions. Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 9;7
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L. Beaton, et al. (2015). Non-invasive measurement of choroidal volume change and ocular rigidity through automated segmentation of high-speed OCT imaging. Biomedical Optics Express. 6(5): 1694-1706
Education
Postdoctoral fellowship in biophysics
Université McGill, Montréal
PhD in physics
Université de Buenos Aires, Argentine
MSc in physics
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina