Science Advisory Board

David Brenner, Ph.D.

Board Member

Dr. Brenner directs the Center for Radiological Research – now more than 100 years old – at Columbia University Medical Center.

Dr. Brenner started his career in theoretical physics — applying quantum mechanics to radiation therapy. While he’s forgotten most of what he ever knew about quantum mechanics, he’s kept his love for applying hard-core maths and physics concepts to solve biological problems.

Most of Dr. Brenner’s work is with ionizing radiation – x rays, neutrons, alpha particles, carbon ions, but there are many other different types of radiation. Over the past six years, he has been working on a very exciting new approach to killing drug-resistant bacteria – superbugs- , as well as airborne viruses such as influenza, using a unique type of ultra-violet light. Dr. Brenner has always known that ultraviolet light can efficiently kill all microbes, but conventional germicidal ultraviolet light is hazardous to our health, causing skin cancer and cataracts. He has identified a particular wavelength of UV light that has the best of both worlds – it’s safe and it kills microbes – including superbugs.

Dr. Brenner now joins Lit Thinking’s™ Science Board of Advisors, helping to bring the science and technology behind Visium 1™ to the world.