Cooled electroporation device for precise tumor ablation
This technology treats solid tumors—including brain tumors—by delivering precisely controlled electrical pulses that destroy cancer cells without relying on heat. The key innovation is actively cooling the electrodes, the surrounding tissue, or the device itself during the electrical treatment, preventing unwanted thermal damage to healthy tissue nearby. The underlying technique, irreversible electroporation (IRE), works by permanently disrupting cancer cell membranes. Adding cooling addresses a known limitation of IRE: even 'non-thermal' electrical delivery generates some heat, which can cause collateral damage in sensitive areas like the brain.
What you could build
A tumor ablation device combining electroporation electrodes with integrated cooling—sold to hospitals and interventional oncology centers as a safer alternative to thermal ablation for brain and other solid tumors where precise tissue sparing is critical.
Who in Virginia should care
Academic medical centers and neurosurgical programs in Virginia, such as UVA Health and VCU Health, as well as medical device companies in the Northern Virginia/DC corridor, would be natural commercial or clinical partners.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- —
- Granted
- April 2, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 102839
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.