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Valentin Demidov

Assistant Professor of Engineering

valentin.demidov@dartmouth.edu

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Figure shows label-free, real-time visualization of skin microvascular networks using optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive imaging modality that requires no contrast agents and is portable for bedside and clinical use.

Overview

Valentin Demidov specializes in the development and clinical translation of advanced optical imaging technologies, particularly optical coherence tomography, to study tissue perfusion and vascular responses to therapeutic intervention. His work spans radiation oncology, biomedical optics, and medical physics, with applications in early cancer detection, evaluation of tissue response to radio- and photodynamic therapies, and non-invasive identification of infection-related complications following treatment.

Research Interests

Biomedical optics; medical physics; tissue perfusion imaging; radiation therapy imaging; cancer detection and treatment response monitoring; photodynamic therapy; post-treatment infection detection

Education

  • MSc, Biomedical Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University 2013
  • PhD,  Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto 2021

Awards

  • Best PhD Thesis Award, Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 2021
  • Terry Fox Foundation (STARS21 Program) Fellowship, 2018–2020
  • PhD Fellowship, University of Toronto, 2013–2019
  • Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Fellowship, 2018
  • Cunningham Foundation for Cancer Research Fellowship, 2017
  • Ireland-Canada Friendship Foundation Award, 2016
  • NSERC-CBMSE Award, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, 2014–2016
  • Cunningham Foundation for Cancer Research Fellowship, 2013
  • Graduate Scholarship, Toronto Metropolitan University, 2012
  • Graduate Award, Toronto Metropolitan University, 2011

Professional Activities

  • Member, Optica
  • Member, SPIE
  • Member, ASTRO
  • Member, AAPM
  • Journal Reviewer: Optics Letters; Journal of Biomedical Optics; Biomedical Optics Express; Cancers; Theranostics; Cancer Research; Medical Physics; PLOS One; Optics Express; Frontiers in Physiology; Chaos; Scientific Reports; Journal of Biophotonics

Research Projects

  • Clinical translation of OCT imaging

    Clinical translation of OCT imaging

    This research focuses on translating optical coherence tomography (OCT) into a real-time, non-invasive tool for clinical decision support. Applications include early cancer detection through identification of microvascular and tissue-structural abnormalities, prediction of early side effects following radio- and photodynamic therapies, and monitoring of treatment response. Additional clinical uses include detection of infection, biofilm formation, and tissue viability after trauma or surgery. By providing label-free, depth-resolved imaging without contrast agents, this work aims to integrate OCT into bedside and intraoperative workflows, enabling earlier intervention and improved patient outcomes.

  • Microvascular and lymphatic imaging

    Microvascular and lymphatic imaging

    This project develops label-free optical coherence tomography methods to visualize and quantify microvascular and lymphatic networks in vivo. Advanced image analysis techniques are used to extract structural and functional information from blood and lymphatic vessels without contrast agents. Applications include radiation-induced vascular injury, lymphatic dysfunction, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. By extending OCT beyond blood flow imaging to include lymphatic transport, this work enables a more comprehensive assessment of tissue health and immune-related processes relevant to cancer therapy and other diseases.

  • FLASH radiotherapy mechanisms

    FLASH radiotherapy mechanisms

    Ultra-high dose-rate (FLASH) radiotherapy has demonstrated the ability to spare normal tissue while maintaining tumor control, yet its biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This research focuses on elucidating vascular and microenvironmental responses to FLASH irradiation using non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT). By longitudinally imaging tissue perfusion, microvascular structure, and recovery dynamics, this work aims to identify functional biomarkers that distinguish FLASH from conventional radiotherapy. These studies contribute to a mechanistic understanding of FLASH biology and support the development of clinically translatable imaging tools to guide treatment optimization.

Selected Publications

  • Demidov V, Jackson OP, Demidova N, Gunn JR, Gitajn IL, Elliott JT. (2025) "Integrating optical coherence tomography and bioluminescence with predictive modeling for quantitative assessment of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus biofilms." Journal of Biomedical Optics. 30(Suppl 3): S34111.
  • Demidova N, Gunn J, Vitkin IA, Gitajn IL, Elliott JT, Demidov V. (2025) "Optical coherence tomography for label-free detection and characterization of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus biofilms." Journal of Biomedical Optics. 30(4): 046003. Featured on the cover of the April 2025 issue.
  • Demidov V, Bond MC, Demidova N, Gitajn IL, Nadell CD, Elliott JT. (2025) "Assessment of photodynamic therapy efficacy of E. coli–E. faecalis biofilms using optical coherence tomography." Journal of Biomedical Optics. 30(3): 036003.
  • Demidov V, Clark M, Sottosanti J, Gitajn L, Elliott JT. (2023) "High-energy trauma model for fluorescence-guided bone perfusion evaluation in orthopaedic surgery." Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 45(5): 1040–1048.
  • Qureshi MM, Peters T, Allam N, Demidov V, Vitkin IA. (2022) "Detection and differentiation of semi-transparent materials simulating biological structures using optical coherence tomography: a phantom study." Journal of Biomedical Optics. 27(10): 100501.
  • Majumdar A, Allam N, Zabel J, Demidov V, Flueraru C, Vitkin IA. (2022) "Binary dose level classification of tumour microvasculature response to radiotherapy using artificial intelligence analysis of optical coherence tomography images." Scientific Reports. 12: 1–10.
  • Han X, Demidov V, Vaze VS, Jiang S, Gitajn L, Elliott JT. (2022) "Spatial and temporal patterns in dynamic-contrast enhanced intraoperative fluorescence imaging enable classification of bone perfusion in patients undergoing leg amputation." Biomedical Optics Express. 13: 3171–3186. †Equal contribution.
  • Allam N, Zabel J, Demidov V, Jones B, Taylor E, Vitkin IA. (2022) "Longitudinal in-vivo quantification of tumour microvascular heterogeneity by optical coherence angiography in pre-clinical radiation therapy." Scientific Reports. 12: 1–10.
  • Demidov V, Demidova N, Pires L, Demidova O, Flueraru C, Wilson BC, Vitkin IA. (2021) "Quantitative speckle analysis for automatic tumor delineation and assessment of its early response to radiotherapy with optical coherence tomography." Biomedical Optics Express. 12: 2952–2967.
  • Pires L, Demidov V, Wilson BC, Salvio A, Moriyama L, Bagnato V, Vitkin IA, Kurachi C. (2020) "Dual-agent photodynamic therapy with optical clearing eradicates pigmented melanoma in preclinical tumor models." Cancers. 12: 1–17.
  • Demidov V, Matveev LA, Demidova O, Matveev AL, Zaitsev VY, Flueraru C, Vitkin IA. (2019) "Analysis of low-scattering regions in optical coherence tomography: applications to neurography and lymphangiography." Biomedical Optics Express. 10: 4207–4219.
  • Demidov V, Zhao X, Demidova O, Pang HYM, Flueraru C, Liu FF, Vitkin IA. (2018) "Pre-clinical quantitative in-vivo assessment of skin tissue vascularity in radiation-induced fibrosis with optical coherence tomography." Journal of Biomedical Optics. 23: 1060031–9.