Dr. Ben-Yakar has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) together with Dr. Tomasz Tkacyk from Rice University, to continue developing the next generation "smart laser scalpel." Using ultrashort laser pulses, the new scalpel can achieve the highest precision that will help in the removal of small malignant growths in delicate tissue such as vocal folds. 

This new award will enable the development of handheld "Clinical Cancer Surgery Probes", as well as move closer to pre-clinical and clinical trials of these scalpels.