Jim Beach, PhD

People

Research Associate
Jim Beach photo
Office phone
Office Address

Room 4-270, Nils Hasselmo Hall

Mailing address

MMC 204 Mayo
8204A
420 Delaware St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

PhD, University of Virginia (Biomedical engineering), 1983

MS, University of Michigan (Bioengineering), 1976

BS, University of Michigan (Electrical Engineering), 1972

Summary

I am a biomedical engineer with experience in academia and industry.My main research area is the development of new methodologies for bio-imaging and medical applications.Currently I am also the Director for Technology Development at CytoViva, Inc, a producer of scientific and hyperspectral imaging systems located in Auburn, Alabama.At the CDD I have been working with Dr. Swati More and Dr. Bob Vince on imaging of the retina in genetic Alzheimer's mice, and with our human study for Alzheimer's disease detection using an eye exam.This work is based on the recent successful outcome of detecting amyloid aggregation in Alzheimer's mice here at the CDD.

Awards and recognition
  • 1992 - Innovative Research in Physiology and Medicine Award, U. KY. 
  • 1993 - First Award, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 
  • 2005 - Space Foundation Hall of Fame Award for Portable Hyperspectral Imaging System

Research

Research summary/interests

While on faculty at the University of Virginia I designed and used a fluorescence technique to measure membrane potential in the intact microvasculature of the hamster cheek pouch.This was the first report to employ ratiometric fluorescence emission recordings in a study using the potentiometric dye di-8-ANEPPS. This work established electrical signaling as a basis for conducted vasomotor activity in the microcirculation and thus a mechanism for regional blood flow regulation.Success with these experiments enabled me to obtain an NIH First Award through the NHLB Institute in 1993 and start on the academic leg of my career.Later while still at Virginia, I and co-workers developed the dual-wavelength recording technique for measuring blood oxygen saturation in human retinal vessels.The research in humans showed that blood flow autoregulation is impaired in diabetes before the appearance of background retinopathy.My work was supported.

Patents

  • Pending:Spectral-Spatial Imaging Device, Vince, More and Beach, March 10, 2016.
  • Pending:Three-Dimensional Image Processing to Locate Nanoparticles in Biological and Non-Biological Media.Beach, Lawrence, Cheatham, Uertz and Dougherty, March 12, 2013.
  • US Patent 7949387: A Method for Evaluating Relative Oxygen Saturation on Body Tissues, Khoobehi and Beach, Issued May 24, 2011.
  • US Patent 6,969,843:Light Standard for Microscopy. Beach and Ross, Issued 11/29/05.
  • US Patent 5,489,771: Beach and Duling, An LED Light Standard for Photo- and Videomicroscopy, Issued 2/6/96.
Publications
  • More SS, Beach J, Vince R,Early detection of amyloidopathy in Alzheimer's mice by hyperspectral endoscopy.Accepted for publication in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, May, 2016.
  • Beach JM, Uertz JL. Eckhardt LG.Hyperspectral interferometry: Sizing micro-scale surface features in the pine bark beetle.online doi: 10.1002/jemt.22550, 2015.
  • Beach J, Pathway to retinal oximetry (review). Trans Vis Sci Tech, 3(5):2, http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/tvst.3.5.2, 2014.
  • Khoobehi B, Firn K, Thompson H, Reinoso M, Beach J. Retinal arterial and venous oxygen saturation is altered in diabetic patients.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.54:7103-6, 2013. doi: 10.1167/iovs.13-12723, 2012.
  • Hardarson SH,Gottfredsdottir MS, Halldorsson GH, Karlsson RA,Benediktsson JA, Eysteinsson T, Beach JM, Harris A,