Prof. Dror Fixler

School of Biomedical Engineering
מחלקה להנדסה ביו-רפואית אורח

Research

Nano photonics and its applications

Fixler's lab deals with theoretical and practical models for reconstructing the optical properties of participating media by nano photonic tools. Our theory is based on a robust generalization of the diffusion theory; Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm; dipole-dipole approximation and other methods. On the practical side we use lasers, LEDs and microscopes. Human tissue is one of the most complex optical mediums since it is nonhomogeneous. Its optical properties are unknown and vary in different tissue areas and physiological states. Because of all of the above, in vivo imaging is a difficult task. In Dror Fixler’s lab we deal with this difficulty by focusing on detection rather than imaging. We use methods which probe the tissue properties by means of the diffusion reflection profile, adding nano particles as contrast agent, the full scattering profile and its isobaric point or iterative phase multiple measurement reconstruction techniques. Furthermore, we use changes in optical parameters, such as fluorescence life time and fluorescence anisotropy to probe the biological surroundings.

The research conducted in the lab advances non-invasive optical methods for detecting and characterizing pathological conditions in biological tissues, including cancer, vascular disorders and cardiovascular diseases. By enabling robust extraction of physiological parameters in complex scattering media, these approaches have the potential to improve early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and personalized treatment guidance.

Short Biography

Dror has a multidisciplinary academic background in physics, life sciences and engineering, with specialized training and expertise in electro-optics and photonics.
He has authored over 160 scientific papers, contributed to several book chapters, and holds more than 15 issued patents. His work has been recognized with multiple international awards and he has actively organized and presented at numerous international conferences.

Selected Publications

  1. Dror Fixler and Zeev Zalevsky, In vivo Tumor Detection Using Polarization and Wavelength Reflection Characteristics of Gold Nanorods, Nano Lett., 13(12), 6292–6296 (2013).
  2. Rinat Ankri, Dorit Leshem-Lev, Rachela Popovtzer, Menachem Motiei, Ran Kornowski, Edith Hochhauser, Eli I. Lev, Dror Fixler, Gold Nanorods as Absorption Contrast Agents for the Noninvasive Detection of Arterial Vascular Disorders Based on Diffusion Reflection Measurements, Nano Lett., 14(5), 2681 -2687 (2014).
  3. Rinat Ankri, Ariel Ashkenazy, Yonat Milstein, Yaniv Brami, Asaf Olshinka, Nitza Goldenberg-Cohen, Abraham Hirshberg and Dror Fixler, Gold nano rods based airSEM and diffusion reflection imaging for mapping tumor margins in SCC cells, ACS nano 10(2), 2349–2356 (2016).
  4. Ruchira Chakraborty, D. Leshem-Lev, R. Kornowski, Dror Fixler, The Scattering of Gold Nanorods Combined with Differential Uptake, Paving a New Detection Method for Macrophage Subtypes Using Flow Cytometery, Nano Lett., 20(11), 8360-8368 (2020).
  5. Channa Shapira, Daniel Itshak, Hamootal Duadi, Y. Harel, A. Atkins, A. Lipovsky, R. Lavi, Jean Paul Lellouche, and Dror Fixler, Non-invasive nanodiamonds skin permeation profiling using a phase analysis method: ex vivo experiments, ACS Nano 16(10), 15760-15769 (2022).

Full publications list is available on Google Scholar:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cr8BghMAAAAJ&hl=en

Grants

  • 2018-2022 – Israel Science Foundation (ISF): Time and frequency multiplexing as a new optical technique for investigating tissue depths information by full scattering profile
  • 2020-2023 – WIN- Wireless intelligent networks, MAGNET, Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel (coordinator)
  • 2019-2023 – NANOSCALE- Nanopatterned Attachment for Nanometric Optical Standardization, Calibration and Length Estimation, Horizon 2020 Eurostar
  • 2020-2022 - Implementing nano logic gates in vivo based on GNP, Israel-Russia Ministry of Science
  • 2020-2022 – Mafat grant: Building a system for a remote sensing of fishing nets in sea
  • 2021-2024 - Israel Generic BioChip Technology Consortium, MAGNET, Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel
  • 2023 - Industry Grant, GNPs for cosmetics, Zingboim LTD.
  • 2023 – Mafat grant: Improving the system for a remote sensing of fishing nets in sea.
  • 2023 - Ministry of Health Research Grant: Designing a contrast material made of gold nano particles coated with the hormone PMSG for the purpose of imaging follicles in the ovary.
  • 2023-2026 – Israel Science Foundation (ISF): A new optical technique for investigating tissue depths information by full scattering profile.
  • 2023 - Industry Grant, IPL in contaminate water, CyWat LTD
  • 2025 – Mafat grant: A shining shadow
  • 2025-2028 - Grean Soil, MAGNET, Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel
  • 2026-2027 - Clinical validation of self-calibration based optical biosensor for multiple cardiovascular measurements, Ministry of Science and Technology

Awards and honors

  • 1999 - Award of Eshkol Scholarships for strategic research, Ministry of Science, State of Israel for Ph.D. studies
  • 2000 - Award of Wolf Foundation to promote science and art for the benefit of mankind, for Ph.D. studies
  • 2000 - Award of Israel Physical Society (IPS) for Ph.D. studies in physics
  • 2001 - Award of Dr. Michael Landau, lottery fund, Israel
  • 2014 - The Academy of Medical Science in England, Lord Turnberg Fellowship.
  • 2015 – European Science Foundation (ESF) for PLASMON-BIONANOSENSE  award
  • 2016 – Special prize from Bar-Ilan University Rector for outstanding achievements in research for 2015
  • 2019 – SPIE Fellow
  • 2024 – President‘s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI2024PVA0079), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
  • 2024 – IEEE Photonics
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