ThUNDDAR is multi-disciplinary network of therapeutic ultrasound experts. Our aim is to promote clinical use of therapeutic ultrasound. Therapeutic ultrasound (ThUS) has enormous potential as a minimally invasive treatment modality with applications ranging from the treatment of cancer and stroke, to fracture healing and neuromodulation.
ThUS uniquely versatile, offering a non-invasive technique with the ability to thermally ablate tissue, to mechanically fragment tissue or to enhance drug delivery, depending on the way in which the acoustic energy is delivered.
However, despite highly promising initial trials and its considerable advantages in terms of cost and patient safety, widespread clinical adoption has been hindered by a combination of factors including:
A leading role for the research community
Define strategy for research
Early application leading to cost savings
ThUNDDAR want to address these challenges by stimulating translational research that will enable the potential of therapeutic ultrasound to be fully realised. The Network brings together engineers, physicists, mathematicians, chemists, biologists, industry and clinicians as well as patient groups and regulatory bodies to identify and break down existing, and future, barriers to the use of therapeutic ultrasound in the UK and throughout the world.
ThUNDDAR carry out a range of activities to meet their objective of supporting the development and adoption of Therapy Ultrasound including: