I-Corps: High Content Label Free Imaging of Tissue using a Novel Laser Source

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project encompasses laser science, microscope technology, and the entire spectrum of biological imaging of live tissues, cells, and microorganisms. This includes basic life science and environmental research where advanced microscopes and cell measurement instruments are used routinely to collect data from cell cultures, animals, and human specimens. Most of these measurements currently require the use of expensive chemical or biological "labels" to identify the targets of interest. This labeling process is time consuming, expensive, and often results in irreversible damage to the specimen. This technology largely eliminates the need for these labels, substantially reducing both the cost and time required to perform experiments. This means that precious public and private research funds will accomplish more. In addition, the potential commercialization plan for this technology includes offering it to existing microscope and instrument manufacturers so that it can readily be integrated into existing systems. This I-Corps project and its intellectual merit involves an advanced technology for rapidly capturing images of live tissue at microscopic resolution, and immediately extracting a wealth of information about the viability and function of the cells and tissue from those images, all without the need for chemical staining or tissue preparation. This technology is the result of over a decade of research conducted at a major university where the research team created a new programmable laser light source that tailors and launches short pulses of light to interact with specific molecular components within the live tissue, essentially making blood vessels, different cells, and cancerous tissue "light-up" with unique light signatures. By combining this laser source with an advanced microscope and software also developed by the research team, a next-generation imaging device has been developed that could dramatically improve the accuracy and speed, and lower the cost of histology, which is currently used to microscopically assess dead, fixed, and stained tissue sections. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.