Optics and imaging developer Edmund Optics Inc. has awarded Sangeeta Murugkar, assistant professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, the 2016 Norman Edmund Inspiration Award for her development of a handheld probe for the noninvasive, in vivo prospective assessment of chemo-sensitivity for tumors.

"As a cancer survivor, I have seen the world from both sides of the spectrum,” Murugkar said. “I am thus highly motivated to help improve cancer prognosis and reduce patient suffering. We have recently shown that Raman micro-spectroscopy is a highly sensitive technique to discriminate between normal and malignant ovarian epithelial cells."

Murugkar's goal is to apply Raman micro-spectroscopy (RMS) in conjuction with multivariate statistical analysis to discriminate between chemo-resistant and chemo-sensitive human ovarian carcinoma cell lines and tissue. When applied in the clinical setting, the technique could enable prospective assessment of tumor chemo-sensitivity at the time of surgery, a first in the field. She will receive a $5,000 award.

The Norman Edmund Inspiration Award honors the contributions made by Norman Edmund to advance the science of optics. The recipient of the award is chosen from among the 30 global finalists of the 2016 Educational Award in the Americas and Europe.