| Michael Farquharson |
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Professor (Chair)
Email:
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Research InterestsResearch Interests
The role of trace metals in cancer. Determination of levels, distribution and oxidation state of biologically important trace elements in cancer tissue. The work is carried out using international synchrotron radiation facilities. The figure shows an example of a scan with the reference stained image of a breast tissue sample and the corresponding Zn, Fe, Cu and Ca distribution maps in the tumour (T) and normal (N) tissue regions. The dark areas of the reference image are the clusters of tumour cells.
The use of scattering techniques for examination of tissue structure, including collagen at the bone cartilage interface and collagen in breast cancer. Scattering techniques are also being developed to examine other materials including explosive materials, drugs and some food products. PublicationsRecent Publications Farquharson M.J. and Geraki K. 2004 The use of combined trace element XRF and EDXRD data as a histopathology tool using a multivariate analysis approach in characterising breast tissue. X-Ray Spectrometry 33 240-245 Geraki K, Farquharson M.J. and Bradley D.A. 2004 X-ray fluorescence and energy dispersive x-ray diffraction for the quantification of elemental concentrations in breast tissue. Phys. Med Biol 49 (1) 99-110 Ryan E., Farquharson M.J. and Flinton D.M. 2005 The use of Compton scattering to differentiate between classifications of normal and diseased breast tissue. Phys. Med Biol 50 3337-3348 M.J. Farquharson, K. Geraki, G. Falkenberg, R. Leek and A. Harris 2007 The localisation and micro-mapping of copper and other trace elements in breast tumours using a synchrotron micro-XRF system Applied Radiation and Isotopes 65 (2)183-188 Ryan E. and Farquharson M.J. 2007 Breast tissue classification using X-ray Scattering techniques and Multivariate Analysis Phys. Med Biol 52 6679-6696 Geraki K, Farquharson M.J., Bradley D.A. Gundogdu O and Falkenberg G. 2007 The localisation of biologically important elemental metals in soft and calcified tissues using a synchrotron x-ray fluorescence technique. x-ray spectrometry. 37(1) 12-20 M.J.Farquharson, A.Al-Ebraheem, G.Falkenberg, R.Leek, A.L.Harris and D.A.Bradley 2008 The distribution of trace elements Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn and the determination of copper oxidation state in breast tumour tissue using micro SRXRF and micro XANES. Phys. Med Biol. 53 3023 – 3037 C.Theodorakou and M.J.Farquharson 2008 Human soft tissue analysis using x-ray or gamma ray techniques. Phys. Med Biol. 53 R111 – R149 W. Kaabar, E. Daar, O. Gundogdu, P.M. Jenneson, M.J. Farquharson, M. Webb, C. Jeynes, D.A. Bradley 2009 Metal deposition at the bone–cartilage interface in articular cartilage Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 67 475 Farquharson M.J., Al-Ebraheem A., Theodorakou C., Ryan E., Bradley D., Gurasamy K and Davidson B. 2008 Trace elements in secondary colorectal liver cancer and their use as a tissue classifier. X-Ray Spect. 38 81-88 Al-Ebraheem. A, Farquharson M.J. and Ryan E. 2009 The evaluation of biologically important trace metals in liver, kidney and breast tissue. Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 67 470–474 C.Theodorakou and M.J.Farquharson 2009 Classification of secondary colorectal liver cancer in human biopsy samples using angular dispersive x-ray diffraction and multivariate analysis Med Phys.Biol 54 4945-4957 D.A.Bradley, M.J.Farquharson., O.Gundogdu., A.Al-Ebraheem., E.C.Ismail., W.Kaabar., O.Bunk., F.Pfeiffer., G.Falkenberg. and M.Webb. Applications of condensed matter understanding to medical tissues and disease progression: elemental analysis and structural integrity of tissue scaffolds. Rad.Phys.Chem. Accepted March 2009. M.J.Farquharson, A.Al-Ebraheem, K.Geraki, R.Leek and A.L.Harris, 2009 Zinc presence in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast and its correlation with oestrogen receptor status. Phys.Med.Biol. 54 4213-4223 Students Supervised
Potential Graduate ProjectsDevelopment of a device for the detection of margins for use in surgical oncology. This project will involve the student in the development of a device that is aimed at helping surgeons ensure maximum efficiency at tumour removal while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible. The device is based around creating models based on the data obtained from monitoring low energy x-ray interactions with tissue. The classification models are then used as tissue identifiers for an unknown samples. The work will involve the student gaining in depth expertise in x-ray analysis techniques, x-ray detection, signal anaysis, mulitivariate analysis and classification techniques. It will also involve working with surgeons and histopathologist and providing a link between these two disciplines. Measuring Iron in the skin using X-Ray Fluorescence as a surrogat marker for total body iron burden. Thalasseamia and Heamochromatosis are conditions that result in dangerously high levels of iron in critical organs i.e. the heart and liver as well as others. Iron levels have to be kept under control sometimes using chelation therapy. Monitoring iron levels in the liver can only really be carried out by liver biopsy which is not always convenient and can be very dangerous. It is know that iron also accumulates in the skin and this project would initially aim to determine if there is a correlation between skin iron levels and levels in other critical organs. Development of a Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TRXRF)system for measureing trace elements in human tissue. Our laborotory carries out a lot of work involved with measuring the levels of trace metals in soft (and hard) tissue. The concentration of the important bio metals (e.g. Fe, Cu, Zn) is very low, sometimes less than 1 part per million. In order to improve the sensitivity of these measurements we want to develope a TRXRF system that we can use on breast and liver cancer in order to vastly improve our lower limits of detection.
Your ideas If you as a potential graduate student have any ideas for a project that fits in with the remit of our laboratory then we would love to hear from you and discuss its feasibility. |
Low energy x-ray interaction data for bio tissue characterization leading to the development of an intra operative tissue analysis device to aid in detection of margin is surgical oncology. This project is in collaboration with surgeons at St. Josephs Hospital and the London Cancer Centre. The figure shows the experimental equipment in use in the laboratory at McMaster.