Biophotonics: High-Resolution Photothermal Imaging of Non-Fluorescent Living Cells

University Of Arkansas Medical Sciences Campus, Little Rock AR

Investigators

Abstract

0119470 Zharov The objective of the proposed research is to develop a new method for laser photothermal phase-contrast imaging (LPPI) which has high absorption sensitivity and high resolution for sensing nano-scale non-fluorescent structures at the cellular and sub-cellular levels. The specific research objectives are to: (1) evaluate spatial resolution and sensitivity of LPPI in a time-resolved mode by calibrating LPPI by using nano-scale liposomes as photothermal (PT) probes, (2) examine the effects of a laser pulse on a cell visualized by LPPI by comparing the time-resolved PT-image structure as a function of pump laser energy and wavelength with conventional biochemical data, and (3) develop cell PT spectral lifetime imaging and algorithms of PT time-resolved analysis of complex nano-scale absorbing structures verified with a multi-color PT probe model.