2024 in review: A transformative year for Iconeus
The end of the year is a good time to review progress – and this year, we’ve got more than ever to report on how functional ultrasound (fUS) is moving into the mainstream. So read on for an overview of how clinical research advances, conference posters and an office move made 2024 our busiest and most exciting year so far.
Groundbreaking fUS publications
The quality of scientific publications is a strong signifier of the health of a field of research, and this year there were not one but two papers putting forward major advances in the clinical application of fUS, both based on work conducted by researchers in California.
The first study, published in mid-May in Neuron, involved the use of fUS to image the spinal cord in human subjects. This was a major milestone not just because it aids understanding of a key treatment option for chronic back pain, but because it was the first published report on the use of our Iconeus One system in a clinical setting.
And then, later that month in Science Translational Medicine, was the first-ever demonstration of how to use an acoustically transparent polymer window in the human cranium to achieve real-time fUS imaging of brain activity. This groundbreaking study is likely to incentivize the more widespread use of acoustic windows in patients who need cranial surgery.
Growing fUS interest at global conferences
Conferences are a core part of our activities at Iconeus, and in 2024 three deserve special mention.
First up was AD/PD in March, where, with an eye on the future use of fUS in humans, we presented our technology to an audience focused on tackling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. It was a great learning experience for us, and proved to be very useful for starting conversations with researchers for whom fMRI is currently the default brain-imaging technology.
Then came the FENS Forum in June, where for the first time, there was an entire poster session dedicated to fUS. This also featured work by our own Ph.D. students, specifically 3D ULM of the brains of mice and non-human primates, the effects of cannabinoids in awake mice, and a study on the use of our MultiArray probe for whole-brain fUS imaging in the mouse.
And last but certainly not least, the action-packed Society for Neuroscience (SfN) meeting in October stood out for its numerous posters featuring fUS, including studies of the human spinal cord, brain–machine interfaces, and the effect of pharmaceuticals on the brain, from both academic and commercial organizations.
In these conferences, we also took advantage of the opportunity to present a ‘Product Theater’ on fUS, with the one at SfN being particularly well-attended – demonstrating that fUS has gained considerable recognition within the neuroscience community.
Leading the conversation on fUS
At Iconeus, we’re very fortunate to be able to draw on the knowledge and experience of our founders, who remain deeply involved in the science, and dedicated to enhancing awareness and understanding of fUS.
A great example of this is the webinar given by Iconeus co-founder Dr Mickael Tanter in March, who presented an overview of the features and applications of fUS. This included a discussion of how to translate it from preclinical to clinical settings, and an introduction to the resolving power of functional ultrasound localization microscopy (fULM).
You can still register to view a recording of the webinar here.
Expanded facilities ready for 2025 and beyond
And as if all that fUS action wasn’t enough, we went through the process of moving offices, to new, much larger accommodation on the boulevard Romain Rolland in south-central Paris. With more meeting space, two workshops, an fUS lab, and space for over 50 staff, we’re now well-set to serve the growing fUS community.
Our new offices in Paris, giving us over double the floor space that we had previously.
So as the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on a busy but successful year for Iconeus – and get ready for more of the same in 2025, including our new software for streamlining fUS workflows (look out for news on this in January!).