Bio Photonics Research

A high-speed 3D imaging microscope developed by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz can capture detailed cell dynamics of an entire small whole organism at once. The ability to image 3D changes in real time over a large field of view could lead to new insights in developmental biology and neuroscience. “Traditional microscopes are constrained by how quickly they can refocus or scan through different depths, which makes it difficult to capture fast, 3D biological processes without distortion or missing information,” said Eduardo Hirata Miyasaki, who performed the work while in Sara Abrahamsson’s lab at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). “Our new system extends the multifocus microscopy (MFM) technique Abrahamsson developed by using a 25-camera array to push the limits of speed and volumetric imaging. This leap in efficiency opens the door to studying small living systems in motion without disrupting them.” The researchers describe their new microscope,...

In photography, taking a detailed image requires a lot of light. But in microscopy, too much light is often harmful to the sample, such as when imaging sensitive biological structures or investigating quantum particles. The aim is therefore to gather as much information as possible about the object under observation with a given amount of light. In collaboration with the University of Vienna and the University of Siegen, researchers at TU Wien have developed a novel trick to achieve this: storing the light in a resonator in which the sample is also located. This allows them to obtain a clearer signal than with other methods. “In a normal microscope, the light hits the sample once and then enters a lens ,” said Maximilian Prüfer, who led the study as part of his fellowship at the Atomic Research Institute of TU Wien. “In our microscope, we place the sample in an optical resonator — between two mirrors.” To turn this resonator into a microscope, the team developed an unusual experimen...

A wireless contact lens that integrates OLED technology into ophthalmic diagnostics could transform the way in which ocular health is monitored, benefiting both patients and practitioners. The lens is the result of a collaboration among the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), and the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. To create the wearable light source, the team led by professor Seunghyup Yoo designed a configuration and process flow that integrated an ultrathin OLED , an antenna, and a controller chip for wireless power reception with a contact lens. Using a 433 megahertz (MHz) resonant frequency for power transmission, the researchers implemented a robust wireless power system for the lens. They embedded a wireless microcontroller into a sleep mask to optimize the lens and allow it to be synchronized with a smartphone. The team demonstrated the efficacy of the OLED contact lens as a r...

An on-demand optical system for exporting target droplets from a static droplet array (SDA) provides a simple way to export specific cells or analytes for analysis without compromising efficiency or accuracy. Researchers at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed the system, called optical on-demand droplet release (OODR). The developers and their collaborators believe that OODR could promote SDAs as a valuable tool for use with high-capacity screening assays with applications in diverse fields. They said that the technique in its current stage of development has the potential to be used in single-molecule/cell analysis, drug screening, and phenotype-based cell sorting. The OODR system incorporates a 1064-nm laser-responsive indium tin oxide (ITO) layer into a microchamber, array-based, droplet microfluidic chip. When the laser is focused onto the ITO layer of the chip, local heating causes microbubbles to form. The mic...

  A new widefield fluorescence lifetime imaging technique, achieved with a time-gated, single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) camera, enables thousands of molecules to be characterized rapidly, accurately, and at the same time. Developed by a team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), single-molecule fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (smFLIM) could be a significant advancement for multitarget, single-molecule localization microscopy. Traditional FLIM typically relies on time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC), a precise but low-throughput method, to discriminate molecules or probe their nano scale environment. Unlike conventional imaging methods, smFLIM detects molecules at a specific point in time immediately after they are subjected to an excitation pulse. It captures an alternating series of images — one image immediately after excitation and another a few nanoseconds later — with picosecond-scale resolution. The images are analyzed to d...

  A new software program can map the movements of multiple particles within cells simultaneously, providing insight into cellular functions that are difficult — and sometimes impossible — to investigate using single-cell tracking methods. The software, developed by researchers at the University of Bonn and Wageningen University and Research, speeds the high-throughput process used to observe molecules in cells, enabling fivefold shorter measurement times than single-particle tracking, according to the researchers. In single-particle tracking, the molecule is marked with fluorescent light, and hundreds of photos per second are taken using a high-resolution microscope. By looking at the gaps between molecules and the distances traveled by a single molecule from one photograph to another, the researcher can tell whether the particles are moving freely inside the cell or interacting with other molecules. Biomolecules move faster than cameras can capture, leading to gaps in the film. I...

A technique developed at Northeastern University targets two of the deadliest cancer types, melanoma and triple negative breast cancer, with chemotherapy drugs but without the usual associated harms. Both cancers are typically resistant to chemotherapy, said Fleury Augustin Nsole Biteghe, a lecturer in biotechnology, chemistry and chemical biology. But by attaching a light -sensitive drug to a protein called MTf — which appears abundantly in both cancers — and bathing the drug-infused protein in near-infrared light, cancer cells die. Using antibodies to target cancer proteins is typically performed by using multiple drugs at once, Nsole Biteghe said. But this approach stimulates the immune system so much that it can end up attacking healthy body tissues. “By using just one drug, we enhanced the efficacy,” Nsole Biteghe said. “It enables doctors to directly correlate the drug that is going into the cells with the therapeutic outcome.” His innovation is to use local light, or photoimmu...

A microscopy system developed by researchers at MIT addresses the challenges of using all-optical imaging techniques to visualize metabolic changes and neuronal activity deep within the brain. Using the system, which combines acoustic imaging and multiphoton excitation, the researchers achieved exceptional depth and sharp images by combining several advanced technologies into one microscope. In the system, an ultrasound microphone located in the microscope detects the acoustic waves, and the recorded sound data is converted into high-resolution images. The solution additionally uses a near-infrared femtosecond (NIR-fs) laser for excitation, ensuring that the wavelength is long enough to penetrate deeply into tissue. “We merged all these techniques — three-photon, label-free, photoacoustic detection,” researcher Tatsuya Osaki said. “We integrated all these cutting-edge techniques into one process to establish this ‘Multiphoton-In and Acoustic-Out’ platform.” The label-free, multiphoto...

Researchers introduced a superresolution imaging technique that visualizes live, dynamic cellular structures at 60-100 nm while significantly reducing the risk of damaging the fragile cells. The microscopy advancement could inform research into DNA repair, chromosome activity, and other biological mechanisms. The imaging approach, developed by a team at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with industry partners, combines Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) with Lattice Structured Illumination Microscopy (diSIM/SIM2). The resulting application is named FRAP in the Superresolution regime (FRAP-SR). “Our FRAP-SR approach enables us to visualize structures as small as 60 nanometers within living cells — a scale previously inaccessible for dynamic studies without causing significant cellular stress,” professor Viji Draviam, who led the research, said. “This resolution, 2000x smaller than the width of a human hair, allows us to probe the nanoscale organizati...

Optical tools can be used to activate biological functions, but with current methods the effects are slow to appear, and sustained effects require continuous light activation. As a result, these light-activation tools provide limited control of fast biological processes and can lead to toxicity in cells and organisms. Although light is a well-established tool for control of bond breakage, it is less firmly established for the control of specific bond formation in complex environments. A team at Tampere University worked with researchers at the University of Cambridge and the University of Pittsburgh to develop a way to use visible light to control irreversible protein binding. The new optical technique for fast, irreversible protein conjugation could be especially valuable in processes where a short initial signal leads to long-term changes in cell or tissue function. Examples include the regulation of gene expression during stem cell differentiation and the activation of immune cells...

  Each year, around two million people in the U.S. are implanted with a stent to improve blood flow in narrowed or blocked arteries. Stents need to be monitored for problems such as fractures or improper positioning, but conventionally used techniques require invasive procedures or radiation exposure. Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University found a way to safely monitor those stents using photoacoustic microscopy to image through the skin “It is critical to monitor stents for problems such as fractures or improper positioning, but conventionally used techniques require invasive procedures or radiation exposure,” said co-lead researcher Myeongsu Seong from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China. “This inspired us to test the potential of using photoacoustic imaging for monitoring stents through the skin.” The research work demonstrated that photoacoustic microscopy can be used to visualize stents covered with mouse skin under various clinically relevant conditions,...

Evident has agreed to acquire Pramana, a manufacturer of whole slide imaging technologies and digital pathology solutions. Terms of the deal have not been announced. Founded in 2021 by nference, a leader in multimodal and agentic AI innovation, Pramana develops fully autonomous image scanning systems, which are designed for use in hospitals, research facilities, and educational institutions. The systems use volumetric imaging techniques to scan specimens at varying fields of view and combine the images into a single fully focused image. Real-time AI algorithms optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance safety during the scanning process. According to Pramana, these built-in AI algorithms and automated quality control enable its solution to eliminate up to 70% of manual workflow steps while capturing previously undetectable tissue features, radically improving clinical diagnostics and research. According to Evident, the acquisition complements and expands its portfolio of technol...

Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure that can be used to treat Parkinson’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other neurological disorders, involves implanting electrodes in specific brain regions to regulate abnormal neural activity. The precise placement of these electrodes is crucial for a successful clinical outcome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the tool commonly used for DBS mapping, lacks the resolution and contrast needed to accurately pinpoint the small, deep brain nuclei targeted for electrode placement. Consequently, researchers are exploring optical imaging techniques with better contrast, higher resolution, and lower costs than MRI to serve as supplementary tools in intraoperative DBS. A study by Laval University and Harvard Medical School explores one such tool, polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT), and demonstrates its potential as a complementary imaging technique for guiding DBS surgery. Unlike MRI, which provides mm-scale ...

Hypervision, a spin-out company from King’s College London that aims to advance computer-assisted tissue analysis for improved surgical precision and patient safety, has signed a strategic development agreement with imec. The collaboration targets the co-development of scalable technologies tailored for surgical applications, as the company works to scale its on-chip hyperspectral imaging and real-time AI analytics. Hypervision's technology delivers tissue-level insights, including on oxygenation, perfusion, and tissue differentiation. Its regulatory-cleared intraoperative imaging platform combines on-chip hyperspectral imaging with real-time AI analytics operating at over 60 fps. Additionally, the technology is designed to integrate into existing surgical vision platforms and workflows. The company's platform is currently under clinical evaluation in U.K. hospitals, with a primary focus on gastrointestinal surgery. Though hyperspectral imaging is already used in medical appl...

Traditional microphones capture tiny vibrations on the surfaces of objects caused by sound waves and turn them into audible signals. A microphone developed by researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology operates differently: Rather than sound, the microphone listens with light. This light-enabled microphone is able to pick up sounds in situations where traditional microphones are ineffective, such as through a glass window. According to the researchers, the technique can work on everyday objects such as leaves and paper. “The new technology could potentially change the way we record and monitor sound , bringing new opportunities to many fields, such as environmental monitoring, security, and industrial diagnostics,” said research team leader Xu-Ri Yao. “For example, it could make it possible to talk to someone stuck in a closed-off space like a room or a vehicle.” While this technology has seen previous exploration, its earlier iteration has required expensive optical equipment...

A hybrid material made from organic chromophores and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can produce stable, fast, phosphorescent light emission for OLED displays. The new hybrid, developed by a team co-led by the University of Michigan (U-M), could replace the heavy metal components currently used to improve efficiency, brightness, and color range in OLED devices. Organic materials with room-temperature phosphorescence are an appealing alternative to heavy metals because of their tunable luminescent properties, large design window, environmentally-friendly components, and economical production cost. Phosphorescence is 3 times more energy-efficient than fluorescence, but happens more slowly. To keep pace with modern displays, which operate at 120 frames per second, phosphorescence must occur in microseconds. The metals used in OLEDs, like iridium and platinum, enable phosphorescence to take place in microseconds instead of milliseconds. The large atomic nucleus of the heavy metal...

The creation of sharp, detailed images of thick biological samples, such as those of human tissue, are now possible using an optical microscopy method developed by researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). The team aimed to achieve the full resolution and signal to noise (SNR) benefits of image scanning microscopy (ISM). At the same time, it wanted to improve optical sectioning for complex, high-density samples. The resulting imaging technique, which the researchers named superresolution sectioning image scanning microscopy (s2ISM), could help scientists gain insight into the aging process and the origin of certain diseases by studying the biomolecular processes inside living cells. The technique reconstructs an image with digital and optical superresolution, high SNR, and enhanced optical sectioning from single-plane acquisition. It provides superresolution and optical sectioning simultaneously. An instrument that acts like a light scalpel penetrates the sample deep...

The accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain is central to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. But to the human eye, proteins that are destined to form harmful aggregates are indistinguishable from normal proteins. The formation of such aggregates also tends to happen randomly and relatively rapidly — on the scale of minutes. The ability to identify and characterize protein aggregates is essential for understanding and fighting neurodegenerative diseases. Now, using deep learning, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) researchers have developed a “self-driving” imaging system that leverages multiple microscopy methods to track and analyze protein aggregation in real time — and even anticipate it before it begins. In addition to maximizing imaging efficiency, the approach minimizes the use of fluorescent labels, which can alter the biophysical properties of cell samples and impede accurate analysis. “This...

Due to a shortage of skilled workers, researchers around the world are working to develop harvesting robots that could provide support to agricultural businesses. Currently, however, according to Andreas Nüchter, from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg, initial prototypes have yet to reach high levels of functionality for the necessary applications. In response, researchers at the University of Würzburg have developed a 3D laser scanner system that aims to provide a better understanding of the condition of plants — for example, by reliably measuring the water content of fruits. This knowledge is crucial for determining the right time to harvest, according to Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) researcher Manuela Zude-Sasse, who led the development team. “For the production of horticultural products, knowledge of the stage of ripeness is very important in order to be able to optimally control cultivation, harvest time and storage,” Zude-Sass...