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About

Katarzyna J. Macura is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of medical robotics and interventional radiology, whose work has fundamentally advanced the precision of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Her primary research areas include magnetic resonance (MR)-safe robotic systems, image-guided prostate interventions, and ultrasound elastography. Macura’s most significant contribution is the development and clinical translation of MrBot, a groundbreaking 6-degree-of-freedom, pneumatically actuated robot designed for MR-guided prostate biopsy. Her landmark 2016 paper on this MR Safe robot, which received 117 citations, reported the first successful FDA clearance and clinical trial demonstrating its safety and feasibility—a decade-long engineering challenge that she helped overcome. This work has enabled more precise targeting of prostate lesions compared to traditional transrectal ultrasound guidance. Beyond robotics, Macura has explored ultrasound elastography as a real-time intraoperative tool to compensate for the lack of tactile feedback during laparoscopic prostatectomy, enhancing tumor localization. Her cumulative research, with papers cited over 190 times, has established her as a leading authority in merging robotics with high-field MRI, directly improving diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes in prostate cancer care.