JRA1 BIOPTICHAL

Laser and Photonics for Biology and Health

Spread of metastasis in lung; transverse sections of a
mouse lung (autofluorescence, ex vivo, POLIMI-CUSBO)

Objectives:

Nanobiophotonics. The first objective is to address the need of efficient handling, manipulation and visualization of tiny biological objects such as individual cells, molecules, and biocompatible materials to simultaneously perform advanced optical and mechanical measurements on them. The selectivity and nonlinear interaction of short-pulse radiation with biologic material will allow an effective development of advanced workstations and novel methodologies, for the benefit of European users.

Advanced microscopy will lead to significant improvement in capacities for advanced imaging beyond what is commercially available and to the development of novel methodologies for the investigation of living cells and animals. In particular, there will be a concerted effort toward the development of advanced microscopy techniques exploiting pulsed laser sources to extend spectral excitation range, penetration depth, sensitivity, and selectivity, temporal and spatial resolution.
Bio-medical imaging will allow the JRA partners to move the capacity an important step forward, from laboratory to in-vivo and clinical applications. Both bio-medical diagnostics and laser-based therapies will greatly benefit from the use of short pulse lasers, allowing deep in-vivo measurements and manipulation. The optical biomedical research activities are strongly increasing worldwide, and it is very likely that many user groups are attracted to this application being in the field of cancer diagnostics and therapy.
Time-resolved Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy will develop new tools and methods for in vivo noninvasive clinical diagnostics based on the study of photon propagation in biological tissues by short pulse spectroscopy. The goals will be to increase the diagnostic information by combining multiple approaches, and to facilitate use in clinical applications by increasing sensitivity, flexibility, and real-time response.

Participants:

For more information on the participating infrastructures, please click on the respective symbol.

map bioptichal

Associate Partners

Coordinator: Francesco Pavone, LENS