Prostate Tumor ID, developed by urologic oncologist Michael Abern (left) and biomedical engineering PhD candidate and medical student Tanner Zachem, promises to help surgeons precisely “see” cancerous prostate tissue in real time. Photo by Eamon Queeney.

Walt Simmons is a seasoned mechanical engineer with an entire wall in his West Virginia home decorated with his patents. Still professionally active in his seventies, he owns and operates a hydro-electric facility that he purchased in a dilapidated condition.

“Even though I knew nothing about dams at the time,” Walt said.

“And even though it was junky, and filthy,” said Arlene.

“So I thought, well, this is a challenge,” said Walt, a playful gleam in his eye.

Walt’s love of a good challenge, and Arlene’s lifelong devotion to supporting her husband’s engineering ventures, soon drew the couple to ask Walt’s oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, Daniel George, MD, a question. What could they do to advance treatments for the prostate cancer that nearly cost Walt his life?

“When Dr. Dan George pointed out that Duke was uniquely positioned to bring engineers and oncologists together to solve real problems, we knew we wanted to be part of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the process of discovery,” said Walt.

George, co-chair of the DCI’s Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, suggested an organic approach to fostering new collaborations: a monthly meeting between prostate cancer clinical researchers and biomedical engineers from Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering to identify and solve prostate cancer challenges. “Bringing biomedical engineers from Pratt to the table is special. That would not have happened without a funding incentive,” George said.

A prototype of Prostate Tumor ID. Photo by Eamon Queeney.

The Simmons decided to fund seven “stimulus” awards, each worth $100,000, to kick start collaborative research. One of the first awards sparked the development of a device called Prostate Tumor ID that its inventors hope will improve outcomes for men with prostate cancer who have surgery to remove the prostate.

“Prostate cancer is notoriously hard to visualize during surgery,” said Michael Abern, MD, associate professor of urology at Duke. “Even with laparoscopic cameras, it’s difficult to distinguish cancerous tissue from healthy tissue in real time.”

A surgeon’s ability to successfully make that distinction profoundly impacts a patient’s outcome. If they cut away too little tissue, some cancer could remain. If they take too much, urinary and sexual function could suffer.

Urologists’ dream scenario, said Abern, would be a device designed to enhance a surgeons’ ability to precisely “see” the cancerous prostate tissue in real time — while they are performing a surgery.

Abern and Patrick Codd, MD, associate professor of neurosurgery, proposed to reengineer a tool already in use by Duke neurosurgeons to operate on brain tumors, making it suitable for prostatectomies.

The team assigned Tanner Zachem, a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering, to make a prototype of “Prostate Tumor ID” and test it. Zachem has also begun his first year of medical school at Duke this fall.

Zachem said that the Simmons stimulus grant accelerated the pace of device development