Mihaela Balu, now an associate professor of dermatology and biomedical engineering at UC Irvine, has developed a device aimed at improving early detection of melanoma without the need for biopsies. The device uses a low-power infrared laser to scan beneath the skin at a cellular level and is currently in clinical trials.
Balu credits federal support as crucial to her research efforts. “Those grants give us the ability to attract the best talent, and it’s important to have talented, passionate, dedicated people driving the research,” she says. She has received funding from both the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, noting that sun exposure among soldiers makes this work relevant for military health.
The team working with Balu consists of two other physicists, a biologist, a chemist, and a biomedical engineer. She emphasizes that having such diverse expertise is valuable in their clinical research setting. “It allows us to track the performance of the devices we build, evaluate their limitations and get them back to the lab for design improvements,” Balu explains.
The device—called the fast, large-area multiphoton exoscope (FLAME)—is used by attaching it via a small metal ring taped to a patient’s skin. It excites molecules with its laser to create detailed images below the surface. According to Balu: “The scan takes about 10 to 15 minutes right now, but the team is striving to shorten it to 5. We don’t have technicians running studies; we run the devices on patients ourselves. It’s the only way to understand what needs to be improved.”
Balu describes their goal as diagnosing skin conditions without surgical procedures and monitoring responses to therapies such as immunotherapies for metastatic melanoma. “We’re tracking the response at a cellular level to see when treatment is working or not,” she says. “That allows us to give feedback so therapies can be tailored to each individual.” This approach aims for earlier detection and more personalized treatment plans while reducing doctor visits.
This year marks another milestone as Balu’s team moves into new facilities on UCI Health — Irvine campus after previously working out of limited space. “When I first started bringing complex technology like this into the clinic, we were squeezed into a storage room,” she recalls. “And now we’ll have two research rooms in the new building. That’s success for me.”
UC Irvine continues its reputation as one of America’s top public universities—a distinction it has held for over ten years—supported by federally funded research projects like Balu’s.
“I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to build my work and my career here,” Balu adds. “I love the multidisciplinary culture and collaborative environment.”
