Ruikang “Ricky” Wang, professor of UW Bioengineering and the George and Martina Kren Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Research, has been selected to deliver the Inaugural James G. Fujimoto Award Lectureship during the 12th Annual International Retinal Imaging Symposium. The Fujimoto Award honors scientists and clinicians who have significantly advanced retinal imaging technology through innovative techniques and their successful implementation in clinical settings.
This recognition highlights the substantial impact of Wang’s research on clinical ophthalmology. His laboratory developed optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a groundbreaking imaging technique that allows three-dimensional visualization of blood flow in tiny vessels of living tissue. Professor Wang has published numerous studies demonstrating OCTA’s ability to image blood circulation in the retina, brain cortex, inner ear, skin, and oral tissues without using contrast dyes. The successful application of this technology in clinical ophthalmology has played a crucial role in preserving patients’ vision.
Wang’s research team has also made important advances in smartphone-based healthcare. They created an affordable method to enable hyperspectral imaging on ordinary smartphones. While standard imaging technology uses only three primary colors (red, green, and blue), hyperspectral imaging analyzes a much wider range of light wavelengths. This innovation shows promise for widespread use given the prevalence of smartphones in daily life.
