Thomas Milner

Thomas Milner, Ph.D.

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Thomas Milner, Ph.D.

Director, Michael E. DeBakey Center for Nano-Biophotonics

Positions

Director, Michael E. DeBakey Center for Nano-Biophotonics: Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery

Addresses

Baylor College of Medicine (Office)
: 465 ED
One Baylor Plaza
Houston, TX 77030
United States

Education

PhD from The University of Arizona: Tucson, AZ; Optical Sciences

MSc from Colorado School of Mines: Golden, CO; Physics

BS from Colorado School of Mines: Golden, CO; Engineering Physics

Professional Interests

Biophotonics
Intravascular image-guided diagnostics
Laser surgery research

Professional Statement

Thomas E. Milner, Ph.D., is a distinguished leader in biomedical engineering and joins Baylor College of Medicine funded by a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) award. Dr. Milner specializes in biophotonics and co-invented the dynamic cooling device that is used on laser dermatological surgical instruments worldwide. He is one of the early developers of optical coherence tomography - a diagnostic imaging technology used clinically in ophthalmology, dermatology and cardiology. He is an inventor of 55 issued patents, generating over $100 million in royalties for university IP owners and licensees. His expertise is recognized through his fellowships with the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors.

In this role he will oversee the translation of nano-biophotonic technologies into clinical applications for cancer diagnostics and therapy, foster collaborations with clinicians, scientists and engineers within Baylor, the Texas Medical Center and across Texas to design, develop and demonstrate novel photonic devices for improving human health and well-being.

Dr. Milner is the founder and president of several innovative companies. His entrepreneurial ventures reflect his dedication to translating scientific and engineering research into practical applications, particularly in optical clearing and medical imaging technologies. He has pioneered the development and demonstration of novel catheters for intravascular imaging and therapy and is a co-inventor of the MasSpec Pen, an innovation that has garnered global attention.

An accomplished scholar, Dr. Milner has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications, with his work being cited more than 24,000 times.
Dr. Milner's educational background includes a Ph.D. in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona, where he specialized in the optical design of far-infrared detector arrays for space-based astronomical telescopes. He completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in engineering physics and physics, respectively, at the Colorado School of Mines. His postdoctoral work as a Whitaker Research Fellow at the Beckman Laser Institute at the University of California Irvine further solidified his expertise in biomedical optics and clinical translation.

Prior to coming to Baylor, he was director and professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic at The University of California at Irvine. Before that, he was the Joe King Professor of Engineering at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. He has been a prominent faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin since 2006.