Alithis R&D

Biography

Jonathan Thomas Elliott, PhD

Founding Consultant, Assistant Professor & Senior Scientist

Professional Summary

I am the Principal Investigator (PI) / Program Director (PD) of the Orthopaedic Translational Engineering Laboratory (OTEL) in the Department of Orthopaedics at Dartmouth Health in New Hampshire. The goal of the research program is to develop translational imaging technology, novel therapeutic approaches, and diagnostic techniques using molecular and kinetic imaging, and other advanced biophotonics to enhance clinical decisions and treatment in orthopaedic trauma, advanced infection, and cancer.

I have a strong record of national and international funding and institutional support, which has led to the sustainable growth of the OTEL program. This includes an R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the NCI and an R01 Investigator-initiated award from the NIAMS. Uniquely, I have received formal education in physics, medical imaging, and mathematics, as well as physiology and pharmacology; this dual-emphasis has given me the foundation to understand and advance the translational aspects of image guidance. During my doctoral studies, I developed and validated time-resolved near-infrared techniques to detect and assess traumatic brain injury. I became a skilled optical engineer, designing and fabricating medical devices and imaging systems, and developed proficiency in MATLAB, C++, and Python programming. I obtained certification from MIT in Drug and Device Development.

Education

Dartmouth College (Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering, 2013-2015)
University of Western Ontario (PhD, Medical Biophysics, 2008-2013)
University of Western Ontario (BMSc, Physiology & Medical Biophysics, 2003-2008)

Current Positions

Senior Scientist, Department of Orthopaedics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Lebanon, NH
Assistant Professor, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH
Founding Consultant, Alithis R&D, Meriden, NH
Cofounder, FWD Imaging Inc., Claremont, NH
President, Lumine Trauma Foundation, Meriden, NH (non-profit)

Consulting Services

As the founding consultant of Alithis R&D, I have a passion for developing point-of-care devices, imaging platforms, and novel treatment approaches that will be approved by the FDA. Point-of-care devices are innovative solutions that enable rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions in remote or resource-limited settings. I have extensive experience and expertise in designing, testing, and validating point-of-care devices for both civilian and military applications. I have a decade of experience serving on the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) and have personally led projects to bring novel imaging drugs (e.g., contrast agents) from benchtop, through GLP and GMP manufacturing, and into first-in-human clinical trials. I can act as a force multiplier for your team, providing high-level guidance to ensure solid traction.

Core Services

Medical Device Development: From concept to market, we provide end-to-end support for designing, testing, and obtaining regulatory approval for cutting-edge medical devices.
Optics: Expertise in optical system design and optimization for applications in medical imaging, diagnostics, and beyond.
Experimental Design: Rigorous, data-driven approaches to designing experiments that yield reliable and actionable results.
FDA Approvals: Comprehensive guidance on navigating FDA regulatory pathways for devices and drugs.
Grant Writing: Crafting compelling grant proposals to secure funding for research and development.
Patents and IP: Strategic advice on patent filing, IP protection, and portfolio management.

Experience with World-Class Medtech Corporations

I have worked with clients from various sectors of the medical device industry, including hospitals, clinics, laboratories, manufacturers, distributors, and researchers. I have also collaborated with professionals from different disciplines, such as engineers, scientists, clinicians, lawyers, and educators. My current clients include a large medtech company with over $2B in market cap.

Future-Proofing with AI Applications

One of my main focuses is optical instrumentation that can generate large datasets for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. Optical instrumentation, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescence imaging (FI), frequency-domain and time-resolved sensing, and second window infrared imaging (SWIR), provides rich datasets with hidden diagnostic information. Appropriate design and implementation are needed to fully leverage predictive models, improving the accuracy and reliability of diagnosis, reducing testing costs and time, enhancing personalization of care, optimizing workflow, and increasing patient satisfaction.

Experience Bringing Products into First-in-Human Trials

I have developed several optical instruments for point-of-care diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, infectious diseases, and orthopaedic trauma. I have applied machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to analyze the data generated by these instruments and provide insights for clinical decision-making. I have been actively involved in the startup scene, participating in three new business entities that have received STTR funding. I have personally obtained funding via NIH and DOD mechanisms, including R01, R21, R00, R42 (SBIR), and K99, and consult on grant strategy.

Whether you are a startup seeking to bring a novel idea to life or an industry leader aiming to stay ahead of the curve, Alithis R&D delivers results-driven solutions.

Academic Contributions

As an academic scientist, I have made significant contributions to the fields of medical device technology, optics, and experimental methodologies. My research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, and I have presented at international conferences, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. A significant focus of the Orthopaedic Translational Engineering Laboratory (OTEL) is on the critical area of orthopaedic trauma surgery and infection. Along with my surgeon-colleagues, I have built a strong collaborative effort with a talented team of researchers and technicians to address this critical area. Solutions include applying biomedical optics, photodynamic therapy, and surgical guidance approaches to improve decision-making in orthopaedic trauma and infection, leading to several NIH- and DOD-funded projects and five ongoing registered clinical trials.

The OTEL lab is situated in a state-of-the-art facility with a BSL-2/Pathogen Risk-Group 2 area that allows us to carefully apply S. aureus, S. pyogenes, and S. epidermidis in small animal, rabbit, and pig models of osteomyelitis, implant-associated infection, and high-energy open contaminated fracture to understand, engineer, and evaluate novel treatments and techniques for these diseases of significant societal impact. My academic work informs my consulting practice, ensuring that clients benefit from the latest scientific advancements and rigorous methodologies. I am committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists and innovators, contributing to a vibrant academic community.

Funding

Adjuvant Photodynamic Therapy to Reduce Bacterial Bioburden in High-Energy Contaminated Open Fractures (NIAMS R01 AR081952)
Real-Time Diagnosis of Life-Threatening Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections Using Indocyanine Green Kinetic Modeling (NIAID R01 AI184513)
Prevention of Implant-Skin/Bone Interface Infection in Osseointegrated Prostheses with Photodynamic Therapy (DOD PRORP ARA HT 9425-23-1-0800)
Advancing Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy to Prevent Infection in Osseointegrated Prosthesis Patients (NIAID R21 AI180765)

Highlighted Publications

JT Elliott, AV Dsouza, SC Davis, JD Olson, KD Paulsen, DW Roberts, BW Pogue. Review of fluorescence guided surgery visualization and overlay techniques. Biomed Opt Expr 2015. PMCID: PMC4605037.
Elliott JT, Marra K, Evans LT, Davis SC, Samkoe KS, Feldwisch J, Paulsen KD, Roberts DW, Pogue BW. Simultaneous in vivo fluorescent markers for perfusion, protoporphyrin metabolism, and EGFR expression for optically guided identification of orthotopic glioma. Clinical Cancer Research. 2017 May 1;23(9):2203-12. PMCID: PMC5411329.
Elliott JT, Diop M, Morrison LB, d'Esterre CD, Lee TY, Lawrence KS. Quantifying cerebral blood flow in an adult pig ischemia model by a depth-resolved dynamic contrast-enhanced optical method. Neuroimage. 2014 Jul 1;94:303-11. PMID: 24650601.
JT Elliott, S Jiang, BW Pogue, IL Gitajn. Bone-specific kinetic model to quantify periosteal and endosteal blood flow using indocyanine green in fluorescence guided orthopedic surgery. J Biophotonics 2019. PMCID: PMC7263175.
JT Elliott, AV Dsouza, K Marra, BW Pogue, DW Roberts, KD Paulsen. Microdose fluorescence imaging of ABY-029 on an operating microscope adapted by custom illumination and imaging modules. Biomed Opt Expr 2016. PMCID: PMC5030010.
JT Elliott, RR Addante, GP Slobogean, S Jiang, ER Henderson, BW Pogue, IL Gitajn. Intraoperative fluorescence perfusion assessment should be corrected by a measured subject-specific arterial input function. J Biomed Opt 2020. PMCID: PMC7282620.

Contact

Ready to accelerate your innovation journey? Contact Alithis R&D to discuss how we can support your next project.

Email: jon.t.elliott@gmail.com

We look forward to partnering with you to achieve your scientific and technological goals.

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