Deborah J. Rubens
University of Rochester Medical Center, University of Rochester
Papers
11
Total Citations
362
H-Index
8
About
Deborah J. Rubens has established herself as a pioneering figure at the intersection of medical imaging, surgical robotics, and prostate cancer treatment, with her work fundamentally advancing the precision and safety of brachytherapy procedures. Her most influential contribution, a 2006 study measuring in vivo needle insertion forces and motion trajectories across 20 patients during prostate brachytherapy (109 citations), provided the field with rare real-world biomechanical data that had previously been nearly absent from the literature. Building on this foundation, Rubens co-developed robotic and semi-automated systems designed to improve needle placement accuracy and radioactive seed delivery in prostate cancer treatment, work that collectively garnered over 150 additional citations. Her 2002 investigation applying a Kelvin-Voight fractional derivative model to characterize the viscoelastic properties of liver tissue demonstrates her broader interest in soft-tissue biomechanics, with implications ranging from surgical simulation to elastographic diagnostics. Rubens has also explored innovative implantation strategies, including hybrid dosimetry and bouquet brachytherapy approaches, to overcome anatomical challenges like pubic arch interference. Through rigorous clinical measurement and translational engineering, her body of work has meaningfully shaped how researchers and clinicians approach precision cancer therapy.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Robot-Assisted Prostate Brachytherapy67 citations · 2006
- 3Robotic system for prostate brachytherapy45 citations · 2007
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7Semi-automated Needling and Seed Delivery Device for Prostate Brachytherapy15 citations · 2006
- 8
- 9
- 10Robotic system for prostate brachytherapy6 citations · 2007