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Dr. Ryan Alkins
Dr. Ryan Alkins
Position(s)
Assistant Professor
Attending Staff, Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Contact Info
T. 613.549.6666 ext. 7327
F. 613.548.1346
Kingston General Hospital
76 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7


Education and Training:
 

• 2015-2016 Neurosurgery Fellow, Department of Surgery, Queen's University
• 2007-2015 Neurosurgery Residency, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
• 2010-2015
 
Phd, Medical Physics and Imaging, Department of Medical Biophysics,
University of Toronto
• 2010-2015 Surgeon-Scientist Training Program, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
• 2010-2015 Clinician-Investigator Program, University of Toronto, RCPSC
• 2003-2007 MD, University of British Columbia
• 2005 Graduate Summer Session Program, International Space University
• 1999-2003 BSc - Honours Physics, University of British Columbia
















Qualifications, Certifications and Licenses:
 

• 2015-present License - Independent Practice, Neurosurgery, CPSO, Ontario, Canada
• 2015-present
 
FRCSC - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada,
Neurosurgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada







Employment:
 

• 2016-present
 
Associate, Adjunct Professor, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
• 2016-present
 
Neurosurgeon, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery
Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada








Academic Honours and Awards (Last 5 years):
 

• 2015 Canadian Neurosurgical Society K.G. McKenzie Prize in Basic Neuroscience
• 2012
 
Thomas P Morley Prize, 37th Annual William S Keith Professorship in Neurosurgery
(Best basic science presentation by a neurosurgery resident)
• 2012
 
New Investigator Award (Basic Science), American Institute of Ultrasound in
Medicine Annual Convention
• 2011-12 Johnson and Johnson Medical Products Surgeon-Scientist Program Fellowship
• 2011 Edward Christie Stevens Fellowship in Medicine
• 2011 Joseph M West Family Memorial Fund














Clinical Trial/Grant History:

Agency: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre/Focused Ultrasound Foundation
I.D.#: Health Canada NOA Control #2156000, NCT02343991
Title: A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Feasibility of Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Using Transcranial MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound with Intravenous Ultrasound Contrast Agents and Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Brain Tumours
P.I.: Todd Mainprize
Role: Investigator
Total costs for project period: $17,700/patient
Project period: 01 Jan 2015-present

Agency: Kingston General Hospital/Queen's University
I.D.#: N/A
Title: Characterization of brain tumours by mass spectrometry: Evaluation of the iKnife system for neuro-oncological applications
P.I.: Ryan Alkins
Project period: 24 Nov 2016-present


Peer-Reviewed Publications:
 

1
 
Cho N, Alkins R, Khan OH, Ginsberg H, Cusimano M. Unilateral lumbar facet dislocation: Case report and review of the literature. Journal of Neurosurgery Spine 2016- under review
2

 
Huang Y, Alkins R, Schwartz M, Hynynen K. Opening the Blood-Brain Barrier with MR Imaging-guided Focused Ultrasound: Preclinical Testing on a TransHuman Skull Porcine Model. Radiology. 2017 Jan;282:123-130
3

 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Early Treatment of HER2-amplified Brain Tumors with Targeted NK-92 Cells and Focused Ultrasound Improves Survival. Neuro Oncol. 2016Jul;18(7):974-81
4

 
Jalali S, Singh S, Agnihotri S, Wataya T, Salehi F, Alkins R, Burrell K, Navab R, Croul S, Aldape K, Zadeh G. A Role for matrix remodelling proteins in invasive and malignant meningiomas. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2015;41(2):e16-28
5

 
Aviv RI, Huynh T, Huang Y, Ramsay D, Van Slyke P, Dumont D, Asmah P, Alkins R, Liu R, Hynynen K. An In Vivo, MRI-Integrated Real-Time Model of Active Contrast Extravasation in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2014;35(9):1693-9
 6
 
Nynynen K, Burgess A, O'Reilly MM, Alkins R, Pajek D, Ellens N, Hughes A. Advances in ultrasound methods for therapy. J Acoust Soc Am. 2013;134(5):4088
 7
 
Alkins R, Huang Y, Pajek D, Hynynen K. Cavitation-based third ventriculostomy using MRI-guided focused ultrasound. J Neurosurg. 2013;119(6):1520-9 
 8

 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Focused Ultrasound Delivers Targeted Immune Cells to Metastatic Brain Tumors. Cancer Res 2013;73(6):1892-9
 9

 
Alkins R, Brodersen P, Sodhi R, Hynynen K. Enhancing Drug Delivery for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of Brain Tumors with Focused Ultrasound Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption. Neuro Oncol. 2013;15(9):1225-35
 10

 
Salehi F, Jalali S, Alkins R, Lee JI, Lwu S< Burrell K, Gentili F, Croul S, Zadeh G. Proteins involved in regulating bone invasion in skull base meningiomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2012;155(3):421-7
 11

 
Alkins R, Matouk CC, Cruz JP, Marotta T, Montanera W, Spears J. Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting for Patients Less than 70 years of Age: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Can J Neurol Sci 2012;39(3):338-342
 12

 
Arnfield M, Otto K, Aroumougame V, Alkins R. The use of film dosimetry of the penumbra region to improve the accuracy of intensity modulated radiotherapy. Medical Physics 2005;32(1):12-18










































Book Chapters:
 

1
 
Alkins R, Mainprize TG. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation Therapy of Gliomas. In: Chernov M ed. Progress in Neurological Surgery. Basel, Switzerland: Karger AG.
2
 
Alkins R, Hynynen K. Therapeutic Ultrasound. In: Brahme, A ed. Comprehensive Biomedical Physics. Oxford, England: Elselvier; 2014:153-168
3 Alkins R, Rutka JT. Epilepsy Surgery in Children. In: Kazadi K, Kato Y, Dechmabenoit G, eds. Essential Practice of Neurosurgery. Nagoya, Japan: Access Publishing Co.; 2009:1199-1215


Conference Proceedings and Presentations:  
 

1



 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Early treatment of HER2-amplified brain tumours with targeted NK-92 cells and focused ultrasound improves survival. Abstract in: Can J Neurol Sci 2015:42(S1):S11. Presented in CNSS Chair's Select Abstracts, Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 50th Annual Congress, Toronto, ON, June 09-12, 2015
 2


 
Huang Y, Alkins R, Schwartz M, Hynynen K. MR-Guided Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption by Transcranial Focused Ultrasound: Preclinical Testing on Trans-Human Skull Pig Model. Oral Presentation. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 23rd Annual Meeting, Toronto ON, 30 May-5 June 2015
 3


 
Huang Y, Alkins R, Schwartz M, Hynynen K. MR-Guided Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption by Transcranial Focused Ultrasound: Preclinical Testing on Trans-Human Skull Pig Model. Oral Presentation, International Symposium of Therapeutic Ultrasound, Utrecht, The Netherlands, April 15-18 2015
 4


 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Early treatment of HER2-amplified brain tumours with targeted NK-92 cells and focused ultrasound improves survival. Rapid Report Oral Presentation. Society of Neuro-Oncology, Miami Beach, Florida, 13-16 Nov 2014 
5

 
Huang Y, Alkins R, Hynynen K. Protocol Optimization in a Pig Model for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption by Transcranial Focused Ultrasound. 14th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound. Las Vegas, Nevada, 2-5 April 2014
 6

 
 Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Improved survival in a metastatic brain tumour model with combined focused ultrasound and targeted natural killer cells. Joint Annual Meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB. Milan, Italy, 10-16 May 2014
 7


 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Blood-brain barrier disruption with focused ultrasound allows brain tumour therapy with targeted immune cells. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana, 13-17 October 2012
 8


 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Francia G, Kerbel R, Wels W, Hynynen K. Blood-brain barrier disruption with focused ultrasound allows brain tumour therapy with targeted immune cells. 12th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound. Heidelberg, Germany, 10-13 June 2012
 9

 
Huang Y, Song J, Alkins R, Ganguly M, Hynynen K. Verification of the Cavitation Safety Mechanism of the ExAblate Brain HIFU System in a Pig Model. 12th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound. Heidelberg, Germany, 10-13 June 2012
 10

 
Alkins R, Yuexi H, Hynynen K. MRI-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neurosurgery Using Inertial Cavitation to Perform Third Ventriculostomy. American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Congress. Miami, Florida, 14-18 April 2012
 11


 
Alkins R, Burgess A, Ganguly M, Wels W, Hynynen K. Blood-brain barrier disruption with focused ultrasound allows brain tumour therapy with targeted immune cells. American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Annual Convention. Phoenix, Arizona 29 March-01 April 2012
 12

 
Alkins R, Yuexi H, Hynynen K. MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound neurosurgery using inertial cavitation to perform third ventriculostomy. American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Annual Convention. Phoenix, Arizona,  29 March-1st April 2012
 13

 
Alkins R, Sodhi R, Brodersen P, Hynynen K. Enhancing drug delivery for boron neutron capture therapy of glioblastoma with focused ultrasound. Society for Neuro-oncology, Orange County, California, USA 18-20 November 2011
 14


 
Alkins R, Matouk CC, Cruz JP, Marotta T, Montanera W, Spears J. The effect of patient age on the safety of carotid artery angioplasty and stenting. World Federation of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology 11th Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, 8-11 November 2011 
 15

 
Alkins R, Matouk CC, Cruz JP, Marotta T, Montanera W, Spears J. Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting for Patients Less than 70 Years of Age. Neurosurgical forum, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, Washington DC, 1-6 October 2011
 16


 
Alkins R, Matouk CC, Cruz JP, Marotta T, Montanera W, Spears J. Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting for Patients Less than 70 Years of Age. Proceedings of the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 46th Annual Congress, Vancouver, Canada 15-17 June 2011
 17


 
Salehi F, Alkins R, Jalali S, Radovanovic I, Hayhurst C, Burrell K, Lee J, Agnithori S, Croul S, Zadeh G. Tissue and RNA Microarray Analysis of Invasive and Noninvasive Meningiomas. Skull Base 2011; 21 - A096. Presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the North American Skull Base Society, Scottsdale, Arizona, 18-20 February 2011
 18


 
Salehi F, Alkins R, Jalali S, Radovanovic I, Hayhurst C, Burrell K, Lee J, Agnithori S, Croul S, Zadeh G. Differential protein and mRNA expression between invasive and non-invasive meningiomas. Canadian Association of Neuropathologists 50th Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada 13-16 October 2010
 19

 
V Singhroy, R Alkins, T Bouvet, A Cartier, A Drew, C Guilera, K Pulver. Wildfire Mitigation Using Space Technology. 56th Annual International Astronautical Congress
Also presented to:
 20
 
United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, Vienna, Austria, 23 February 2006 
 21


 
K Otto, R Alkins, B G Clark. Improved IMRT Dose Calculations using Pencil Beam Kernels Derived from High Resolution Film Dosimetry. 49th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists/Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine, Edmonton, Canada 5-7 June 2003
 22

 
K Otto, R Alkins, BG Clark. Limitations of IMRT Planning with Low Resolution Pencil Beam Kernels. 7th Biennial ESTRO Meeting on Physics and Radiation Technology for Clinical Radiotherapy, Geneva, Switzerland, 13-18 September 2003








































Invited Talks:
 

1
 
Focused Ultrasound Foundation Blood-Brain Barrier Workshop, Bethesda, Maryland, Sept 11-13, 2013
2
 
Sunrise Session Co-Chair - High Frequency Ultrasound in the Management of Brain Tumors. Society for Neuro-Oncology 2014 Annual Meeting, Miami Beach, Florida, Nov 13-16, 2014
3
 
Invited Speaker, Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston ON, March 30th 2016











Course Faculty:
 

1 Pre-clerkship medical student surgical skills, Toronto ON, Feb 2012
2 PGY-1 neurosurgical summer crash course, Toronto ON, Jul-Aug 2011







Professional Affiliations:
 

2007-present Member, Ontario Medical Association
2007-present Member, Canadian Medical Association
2007-present Member, Canadian Neurosurgical Society
2015-present Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada











Updated July 17, 2018