Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Alwin Klaassen is a pioneering researcher at the forefront of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS), with a focused mission to make the invisible visible during critical surgical procedures. His primary research areas encompass the development and clinical translation of targeted near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes for real-time intraoperative imaging, specifically for cancer and nerve identification. Klaassen’s major contributions include the creation of innovative "AND-gate" contrast agents, which require two biological triggers to activate, dramatically enhancing specificity for tumor tissue over healthy background. This work, published in 2020, has garnered 139 citations, underscoring its foundational impact. He also led the first-in-human evaluation of a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted NIR small molecule (IS-002) for identifying prostate cancer during robotic-assisted prostatectomy, a landmark study with 35 citations that demonstrates direct clinical applicability. Furthermore, his research on clinically translatable formulation strategies for nerve-specific probes addresses the critical problem of accidental nerve damage during surgery, offering a path to reduce postoperative pain and numbness. Klaassen’s work bridges the gap between bench and bedside, providing surgeons with powerful tools to improve oncologic outcomes and patient safety.