Awards & Scholarships

ISCAS aims at promoting young scientists and recognizing outstanding scientific work. For this purpose, the society awards the following prizes and student scholarships.
***2024 ISCAS student award/scholarship information coming soon!***

An award recipient student wrote: “Dear Professors, I write to you to thank  ISCAS for the travel grant that let me to participate at the CARS conference. I would not have been able to assist to CARS without your help. It was a unique experience, in the sense that it was the first conference that I had the opportunity to asist and also my first oral presentation in a conference. It was also a great opportunity to interact with students and professors from different countries. In addition, it was the first visit to Europe so I also thank for let me see a bit of Europe. I hope in the future we can keep in touch. Thanks!”

ISCAS continues to promote young scientists and recognize outstanding scientific work. For this purpose, the ISCAS society awards the ISCAS student scholarship, whose objective is to facilitate and promote student participation at the CARS congress from far and developing countries. Selection criteria, in the following order of importance, include relevance of presented topic to ISCAS, applicant’s geographical location, financial need, scientific excellence, and innovation.

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ISCAS Student Scholarship Past Winners

2019:
  • EUGENIA MORRIS, Univ. Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires,Tandil (AR)
  • CHUNXIA QIN, Shanghai Jiao Tang University, Shanghai (CN)
  • SANTIAGO VITALE, Univ. Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil (AR)
2018:
  • Abhishek Kaushik, DGFS PhD scholar, BARC/HBNI, Mumbai, India, for the paper: Autonomous neuro-registration for robot-based neurosurgery
  • Zhe Min, Ph.D. student, Electronic Engineering Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, for the paper: TTRE and FRE are uncorrelated in a paired-point rigid registration
  • David García Mato, PhD student at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, Spain, for the papers: Knee joint goniometry using MARG low-cost sensors
  • Matthias Peiffer, Master Research Student, University Hospital of Ghent, Gent, Belgium, for the paper: Reliability and correlation analysis of computed methods to convert conventional 2D radiological hind foot measurements to a 3D setting using weight bearing CT
2016:
  • Lu Xu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai, China
  • Shen Treratanakulchai BART LAB, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakorn Phathom, Thailand
  • Thomas Vaughan Queen’s University, School of Computing, Kingston, ON, Canada
  • Cristina Suárez Mejías Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Technological Innovation Group, Sevilla, Spain
2015:
  • Sophia Shakur, U. of Illinois at Chicago, USA
  • Matthew Holden, Queen’s U., Kingston, Canada.
  • Akihiro Koyama, U. of Tokyo, Japan.
  • Lucas Lo Vercio, U. of Uruguay.
2014
  • Gerard, Ian. McGill Univ, Montreal, Canada and
2013
  • Guillermo Carbajal, U de la Republica, Uruguay and Helen Xu from Kingston Ontario, Canada
2012
  • P. U-Thainual, Queen’s U, Kingston, Canada and Yang Liu, U. of St Louis, USA
2010
  • Hongho Kim, from the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Cristian A. Linte, from Robarts Research Institute, London Ontario, Canada.
2009
  • Srivatsan Pallavaram, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA and Harvey Ho, Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Koh Young/ISCAS Young Investigator scholarship

The purpose of the scholarship is to enable young investigator with accepted papers at ISCAS conference at CARS to attend the conference. It is targeted for young researchers for were students no more than two years before the date of submission. Students must request in advance the scholarship, justifying why they need it. The scholarship covers up to EU 2,000 towards air travel in economy class, local hotel stay (3 stars or equivalent category), and CARS registration. based on the receipts and on geographical situation. A committee reviews requests to make a decision.

The Koh Young/ISCAS  scholarships selected by the ISCAS committee were :

2017
  • S. McLachlin, C. Whyne, M. Hardisty Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada. Verifying tract-specific streamlines generated via diffusion tensor imaging of the cervical spinal cord (abstract 245).
  • E. Stenau, T. Simpfendorfer, M. Azizian, W. P. Liu, K. K. Anderson, D. Bergman, O. Mohareri, J. M. Sorger, D. Teber, L. Maier-Hein. German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany, University of Heidelberg, Department of Urology, Heidelberg, Germany, Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, United States.In vivo robustness analyses of intraoperative registration with fluorescent markers (abstract 69).
2016
  • Loris Fichera Vanderbilt University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nashville, United States
  • Temitope L. Rude New York University, Department of Urology, New York, United States
2015
  •  Yang Liu, U. of Akron, USA
  •  Azharhosein Faraz, Western U, London, Canada.
2014
  • Yang, Mingley, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
2013
  • Yang, Liangjing, U. of Tokyo, Japan
2012
  • Andrej Machno U. Leipzig, Germany

ISCAS Best Paper Award

Eligible papers are all those accepted in the ISCAS section of CARS from oral presentations only. The prize is a cash award, ISCAS membership for a year, and free ISCAS social event ticket. The committee of the award will include 5 peoples (a chair + 4 referees), of which at least 3 are members of the ISCAS Board. The ISCAS Best Paper Awards selected by the ISCAS committee have been sponsored by Olympus since 2007

2019
  • C. Canavesi, R. O’Connell, T. Pazcos, A. Cogliati, A. Hayes, A. Bonham, J. Rolland, LighTopTech Corp.(US), “Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy for optical biopsy,image-guided surgery, and intraoperative imaging”
  • D. García-Mato, M. García-Sevilla, S. Ochandiano, C. Navarro-Cuéllar, J. V. Darriba-Allés, R. García-Leal, J. Pascau, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (ES) , “Structured Light Scanning for Morphometric Analysis in Craniosynostosis Reconstruction Surgery”
2018
  • A. Sitnik, R. Gromov, A. Pavel, S. Bradko (BRSPCTO, Adult Trauma Department, Minsk, Belarus): The use of augmented reality technology in the treatment of distal tibia fractures
  • J. C. Rosenthal, N. Gard, A. Schneider, P. Eisert, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, Vision & Imaging Technologies, Berlin, Germany: Microscopic image-based determination of stapes prosthesis length
2017
  •  J. Anso, O. Scheidegger, L. Perroud, M. Caversaccio, K. Gavaghan, S. Weber. ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering, Bern, Switzerland, Inselspital, University of Bern, Department of Neurology and Department of ENT Head and Neck Surgery, ENMGStation, Bern, Switzerland, CAScination AG, Bern, Switzerland. Facial nerve monitoring during robotic cochlear implementation: first patient experience (abstract 255).
2016
  • Rina Zelmann Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada for her presentation on A Framework for the Identification and Classification of Depth Electrodes.
2015
  • K. Kim, KIST (Korea)  A Steerable Endoscopic Robot for Endonasal Skull Base Surgery: Development and Cadaver Experiment, Int J CARS (2015), S71-72
  • T. Ungi, Queen’s University (CAN) «Real-Time Navigation in Breast Tumor Surgery,Int J CARS (2015), S59»
2014
  • T. D’Albis from University of Rennes (France): “PyDBS: an automated image processing workflow for  deep brain stimulation surgery”.
2013
  • R Balachandran from Vanderbilt University, Nashville (USA): Clinical implementation of minimally-invasive, image-guided cochlear implantation surgery
2012
  • C Di Natali, P Valdastri, Vanderbilt University TN; Remote active magnetic actuation for a single access surgical robotic manipulator (USA)
 2011
  • T. Akahoshi, M. Hashizume, J. Hong, University of Fukuoka, Daegu Gyeongbuk Inst. of Science and Technology (J);Usefulness of a real-time virtual reality navigation system using an open magnetic resonance imaging: tumor ablation therapy for 50 liver cancers by M. Tomikawa, N. Tsutsumi, K. Ohchida, S. Leiri, T. Ohidaira,
2102
  • Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement under real-time MRI guidance: technical challenges from D. Mazilu, M. Li, M. Guttman, O. Kocaturk, K. Horvath, National Inst. of Health, Bethesda, MD (USA)
2009
  • A comparison of conventional guidewire alignment jigs with imageless computer navigation in hip resurfacing from M. Olsen, M. Chiu, P. Gamble, R. Boyle, N. Tumia, E. Schemitsch, St. Michael’s Hosp., Toronto, Ontario (CDN)
2008
  • Towards fast, automatic and accurate deep brain stimulation targeting. F.J. Sanchez Castro, J.-P. Thiran, Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology, C. Pollo, R. Meuli, P. Maeder, J.-G. Villemure, Centre Univ. Hosp. Vaudois, Lausanne (CH)
2007
  • Application of manual registration of ultrasound images in planning data in hepatic surgery. by M. Markert, S. Weber, H. Lang, T. C. Lueth, C. E. Broelsch (MIMED, Micro Technology and Medical Device Engineering, TU Muenchen Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Essen University Hospital)

ISCAS Best Student Poster Awards

All ISCAS posters which have a student as first or significant author are eligible for this award. The posters are selected by a committee of 3-5 members of the ISCAS Board. The prize is a cash award, ISCAS membership for a year, and free ISCAS social event ticket. The selection is done during the CARS conference and will be announced at the end of it.

The ISCAS Best Poster Awards selected by the ISCAS committee were:

2019
  • T. Nagame, A. Hanafusa, T. Koguchi, F. Shimizu, K. Masamune, Y. Muragaki, H. Iseki, K. Nomura,
    Shibaura Institute of Technology & Tokyo Women’s Medical University (JP), “Development of brain surgery assistance system that integrate forceps with continuous tumor resection function and tumor cell isolation device”
  • TA. Illanes, N. Esmaeili, F. Renna, J. Oliveira, M. Coimbra, M. Friebe, University of Porto (PT), “Acoustic emission integration for ultrasound guidance: a feasibility study for needle based clinical procedures”
  • K. Sukondhasingha and Y. Nakajima, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (JP), “Sucker design improvement of stiffness-adjustable grasping  pads for laparoscopic surgeries”
  • J. Rodgers, D. Gillies, J. Kishimoto, S. Papernick, N. Kakani and A. Fenster, Western University (CA),
    “Development of Mechanical 3D Ultrasound Scanning Devices for Image-guided Interventions”
2018
  • Mr. K. Kusuda, Tokyo Women’s Medical University (J) Development of traceability system for surgical instruments in operation room
  • S.-E. Song, Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando (USA), Design of A Novel 4-DOF Mechanism for Robotic Needle Guide for Targeted Prostate Biopsy
  • H. Herrero Antón de Vez, Centro Médico Teknon, Barcelona (E), Personalized medicine: technological bridge between patient and surgeon by 3D printed surgical guide in rhinoplasty
2017
  • H.H. Ly, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya (J) Grasper having tactile sensing function using acoustic reflection for laparoscopic surgery
  • Y. Takeichi Daiyukai Daiichi Hospital, Nagoya (J) Mammoplasty using three-dimensional CAD/CAM custom templates with upright and sitting position of the mirrored healthy side
2016
  • V. Garcia-Vázquez, G. Rodriguez-Lozano, R. Pérez-Mañanes, J.A. Calvo, 
D. Garcia-Mato, M. Cuervo-Dehesa, M. Desco, J. Pascau, J. Vaquero Desktop 3D printing in medicine to improve surgical navigation in acral tumors
2015
  • J. Kim, Univ. of Tsukuba, Japan Development and application of a novel 3D surgical emulator and dynamic surgical textbook for new surgery education (P107)
  • M. Li, National Institutes of Health, USA Robotic-Assisted Real Time MRI Guided TAVR: in vivo experiment (P88).
2014
  • Clinical contributions: Implantation of personalized, biocompatible mitral annuloplasty rings: feasibility
  • Technical contributions: Virtual rigid body: a new optical tracking paradigm in image guided study in an animal model S. Jacobs, Univ. Zürich (CH) interventions. A. Cheng, N. Deshmukh, M.K. Ackerman, G.S. Chirikjian, E.M. Boctor, The Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
2013
  • Clinical contributions: M. Kunz et al. from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (CDN): Intraoperative localization of posterior orbital tumours using patient-specific instrument guide
  • Technical contributions: HS. Yoon et al. from Asan Medical Center, Seoul (ROK): A dual-arm robotic system for sinus surgery»
2012
  • G Ciuti, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa (I) Intraoperative 3D reconstruction for image-guided navigation in active capsule endoscopy  Poster #89 and M. Daly, Univ. of Toronto (CDN) Real-time Critical Structure Proximity Alerts in Intraoperatice CBCT for head and neck surgery Poster #94
2011
  • Characterization and implementation of an X-ray compatible electromagnetic field generator in cone-beam CT-guided surgery by S. Schafer, J. Yoo, A. Uneri, Y. Otake, J.W. Stayman, A.J. Khanna, J.H. Siewerdsen, The Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
2010
  • Real-time 4D ultrasound reconstruction for improved intraoperative imaging during image-guided beating-heart interventions by D. Pace, J. Moore, T. Peters, C. Wedlake, G. Guiraudon, D. Jones, Robarts Research Inst., D. Bainbridge, The Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Ontario (CDN)
2009
  • A parallel robot to assist vitreoretinal surgery by T. Nakano, N. Sugita, T. Ueta, Y. Tamaki, M. Mitsuishi, The Univ. of Tokyo (J)
2008
  • Preoperative evaluation of CT scans for robot-assisted minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery. I. Ross, The Univ. of Western Ontario, A.L. Trejos, S. Fox, R. Patel, B. Kiaii, London Health Sciences Center, London, Ontario (CDN)
2007
  • 3D-3D non rigid registration of an organ model with intraoperative measured data in case of hepatectomy. by B. Dagon, C. Baur, V. Bettschart, Swiss Federal School of Technology, Lausanne (CH)

ISCAS Kikuchi Frugal Technology Award

In recent years, demands on engineering technology (robotics, software, integrated solutions, etc.) have increased in medicine. Although technology is a powerful tool to improve health care (e.g. effectiveness in treatment, diagnosis or other medical procedures), it should be noted that technology commonly increases complexity and cost. “Frugal engineering” is the process of reducing the complexity and cost of a good and its production. ISCAS will offer the “Frugal Technology Award” for excellent research work, involving unique and ingenious approaches, through the concept of frugal engineering. The goal of the establishment of this award is to encourage research towards affordable, efficient, and cost-effective technology in the area of computer-aided surgery and related medical interventions. Such research would be beneficial to the patient and to the society.

The scope of the award is classified into three categories: robotics, software, and integrated systems. Applicants must send a one-page letter describing the frugal aspect of their technology along with their accepted paper (which must have been accepted for presented in the ISCAS conference, either as an oral presentation or poster. The awardee(s) will be selected by an ISCAS Award committee and may be offered in each category. Selection criteria are related to the definition of frugal technology, including affordability, effectiveness in clinical practice, reduction of complexity, ease of learning, reduction of surgical time, and ability of the technology to be widely disseminated.

Past winners of the awards were:

2016
  • Robotics Category:  R. Nakadate, J. Arata, S. Oguri, S. Onogi, T. Akahoshi, T. Ikeda, M. Hashizume Kyushu University, Fukuoka (J) for A miniature five finger hand robot for laparoscopic surgery:
development of hand part and master glove
  • Integrated Systems Category:  D. Drazin, K. Catchpole, R. Pashman, J. P. Johnson, T. Kim Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, The Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. for Learning curves in Image Guided Spinal Surgery: A Human Factors Analysis Showing Surgeon Expertise Decreases Flow Disruptions
2015
  • Robotics Category: Multi-Degrees of Freedom Laparoscopic Ultrasound Probe with Remote Center of Motion by S. Oguri et al.
  • Integrated Systems Category: EchoTrack For Simulataneous EM Tracking And US Imaging: Initial Experience In Ventilated Swine Cadaver by AM Franz et al.
  • Software Category: Implementation Of Touchless Dynamic Manipulatable Interface (Opect 3D) For Three-Dimensional Arteries Models by K. Yoshimitsu et al.
2014
  • T. Ando, A. Kubota, E. Kobayashi, I. Sakuma, The Univ. of Tokyo (J), « A new tool tracking system for laparoscopic surgery based on inertial sensor »