Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, & Anatomy
Director, Laboratory for Optoacoustic Imaging and Monitoring
Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences Group
4.410C Research Building 21 | Route: 1156 | Tel: 409-772-8144 | riesenal@utmb.edu

Affiliations: Department of Anesthesiology, UTMB Cancer Center

 

Education and Training

PhD in Applied Biophysics, Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences
MS in Applied Biophysics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
BS in Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

Research Interests

Dr. Esenaliev's research is in the field of bioengineering and biophysics.  The main focus of his research is in novel applications of biophotonic technology for imaging, tomography, and continuous monitoring of multiple important physiological parameters and for non-invasive, efficient therapy of cancer and infectious diseases.  Dr. Esenaliev is an inventor of optoacoustic/photoacoustic imaging and tomography. He is developing optoacoustic technique, optical coherence tomography, and ultrasound for high-resolution molecular and structural imaging.  His research interests include novel approaches to therapy of cancer and infectious diseases based on interaction of electromagnetic or ultrasound radiation with tissues and cells (in the presence or absence of nanoparticles). Successful development of these techniques will substantially improve treatment of acute life-threatening illnesses, cancer, and infectious diseases.

Major Inventions and Research Interests: 1.) Novel diagnostic imaging modality: Optoacoustic/Photoacoustic Imaging and Tomography. 2.) Nanoparticle-based therapy of tumors and drug delivery in tumors using laser, radiofrequency, microwave, or ultrasound radiation. 3.) Inactivation of bacteria and viruses using laser, radiofrequency, microwave, or ultrasound radiation. 4.) Noninvasive, continuous monitoring of blood oxygenation including cerebral and central venous oxygenation. 5.) Noninvasive monitoring of physiologic variables with Optical Coherence Tomography.

Selected Honors and Awards:

UT System Chancellor’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for “Multiple Therapeutic and Diagnostic Methods and Devices”
Fellow of The Optical Society of America (OSA)
Fellow of The International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)
PI and co-PI in 33 (cumulative) grants and contracts 

Conference presentations: 266 including plenary and invited lectures.

Publications (Selected from a total of 195 papers, book chapters, and patents):

1. Petrov I.Y., Petrov Y., Prough D.S., Cicenaite I., Deyo D.J., Esenaliev R.O. Optoacoustic monitoring of cerebral venous blood oxygenation through intact scalp in large animals. Optics Express, v.20(4), pp. 4159-4167, 2012.

2. Figueiredo M., Esenaliev R.O. PLGA nanoparticles for ultrasound-mediated gene delivery to solid tumors. Journal of Drug Delivery. Special Issue “Nanoparticles for targeted delivery of active agents against tumor cells”, v. 2012, 767839, pp. 1-20, 2012.

3. Prough D.S., Esenaliev R.O. Monitoring the brain to save the kidneys. Critical Care Medicine. v. 41(2), pp.671-672, 2013.

4. Petrov A., Wynne K.E., Parsley M.A., Petrov I.Y., Ruppert K.A., Prough D.S., DeWitt D.S., Esenaliev R.O. Optoacoustic detection of intra- and extracranial hematomas in rats after blast injury. Photoacoustics 2014; v. 2, pp.75-80.

5. Melentiev P.N., Afanasiev A.E., Kuzin A.A., Gusev V.M., Kompanets O.N., Esenaliev R.O., Balykin V.I. “Split Hole Resonator: A nanoscale UV light source”, Nano Letters, 2016; v.16, pp.1138-1142.

6. Esenaliev R.O. Optoacoustic diagnostic modality: from idea to clinical studies with highly-compact laser diode-based systems. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 22(9), 091512, 2017. doi:10.1117/1.JBO.22.9.091512.

7. Esenaliev R.O. Optoacoustic monitoring of physiologic variables. Frontiers in Physiology, 2017, 8:1030, 091512. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01030

8. Esenaliev R.O., Petrov I.Y., Petrov Y., Guptarak J., Boone D.R., Mocciaro E., Weisz H., Parsley M.O., Sell S.L., Hellmich H.L., Ford J.M., Pogue C., DeWitt D., Prough D.S., Micci M.A. Nano Pulsed Laser Therapy Is Neuroprotective In A Rat Model Of Blast-Induced Neurotrauma. J Neurotrauma. 2018; doi: 10.1089/neu.2017.5249

9. Mocciaro E., Grant A., Esenaliev R.O., Petrov I.Y., Petrov Y., Sell S.L., Hausser N.L., Guptarak J., Bishop E., Parsley M.A., Bolding I.J., Johnson K.M., Lidstone M., Prough D.S., Micci M.A. Non-Invasive Transcranial Nano-Pulsed Laser Therapy Ameliorates Cognitive Function and Prevents Aberrant Migration of Neural Progenitor Cells in the Hippocampus of Rats Subjected to Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2020, 37(8): 1108-1123 doi: 10.1089/neu.2019.6534.

10. Fujiwara O., Prasai A, Perez-Bello D., El Ayadi A., Petrov I., Esenaliev R., Petrov Y., Herndon D., Finnerty C., Prough D., Enkhbaatar P. Adipose-derived Stem Cells Improve Grafted Burn Wound Healing. Burn and Trauma, 2020, 8: tkaa009 doi: 10.1093/burnst/tkaa009.

11. Melentiev P.N. Son L.V., Kudryavtsev D.S., Kasheverov I.E., Tsetlin V.I., Esenaliev R.O., Balykin V.I. Ultrafast, Ultrasensitive Detection and Imaging of Single Cardiac Troponin-T Molecules. American Chemical Society Sensors. 2020. doi: 10.1021/acssensors.0c01790. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33124416.

12. Perkov S.A., Gorin D.A., Esenaliev R.O. Optoacoustic Monitoring of Water Content in Tissue Phantoms and Human Skin. Journal of Biophotonics. 2020; doi: 10.1002/jbio.202000363

Link to PubMed Publications