IDBR: Spectroscopic photoacoustic microscopy for advanced histopathology on living cells and tissues

摘要：密歇根大学被授予一项新的无标记光谱光学技术和仪器，用于组织和细胞样本的高级组织病理学检查。该项目将为宽带和高灵敏度的超声检测开发一种新的路线图技术。该项目将探索一种利用宽带探测器平台进行高分辨率3D成像的全光学光声显微镜技术。探测器的高灵敏度将允许探测厚组织。这项研究首次开启了基于吸收对比的活细胞及其与病毒或环境微环境作用机制的研究之门，并将基于光吸收产生新的分子探针系列。新仪器将提供独特的光学对比度，为活细胞和组织的全面检查和诊断提供前景，这可能对功能显微镜和生物医学成像产生革命性影响。更广泛的影响：生物医学成像应用对能够显著提高对比度和分辨率的技术的需求很高。与传统的组织学方法相比，该项目将开发的技术提供了一种革命性的新工具，允许对未染色的组织和细胞进行可重复和客观的诊断，促进改进的疾病诊断和自动筛查，以及只能在活组织或细胞上进行的尖端研究。这将使研究人员和医务人员从繁重的样品制备工作中解脱出来，包括固定、切片和染色。这种仪器的影响将类似于共焦显微镜如何通过提供精细分辨率切片能力来革命传统光学显微镜。这项计划将通过整合教育和宣传部分得到加强，其中包括为不同水平(从12岁到毕业生)的学生和几个代表性不足的群体(妇女、非裔美国人和拉丁裔)创造一个多学科(光学、微制造、生物医学成像)的科学学习环境；将研究成果纳入关于光子器件和纳米制造的课程。该计划将通过外展活动帮助提高公众的科学素养。

Abstract:An award is made to the University of Michigan to develop a novel label-free spectral optical technique and instrument for advanced histopathologic examination of tissue and cellular samples. This program will develop a new roadmap technology for wide band and highly sensitive ultrasound detection. The project will explore an all-optical photoacoustic microscopy technology for high resolution 3D imaging by using the broadband detector platform. The high sensitivity of the detector will allow probing of thick tissues. This research opens the gate for the first time to research the mechanism of living cells and their activities with virus or ambient microenvironment based on absorption contrast and will induce new series of molecular probes based on optical absorption. The new instrument will provide the unique optical contrast, offering the prospect of comprehensive examination and diagnosis of live cells and tissues, which could have a transformative impact to functional microscopy and biomedical imaging.Broader Impact:Technologies that can provide significantly improved contrast and resolution are in high demand for biomedical imaging applications. Comparing with the conventional histologic methods, the technology to be developed in this program provides a revolutionary new tool that allows reproducible and objective diagnosis of unstained tissues and cells, facilitating improved disease diagnosis and automatic screening, as well as cutting-edge research that can only be conducted on live tissues or cells. It will free the researchers and medical staff of laborious sample preparation involving fixation, sectioning and staining. The impact of such an instrument will be similar to how the confocal microscopy revolutionized the conventional optical microscopy by providing the fine resolution sectioning capability. This program will be enhanced by the integration of the education and outreach component which includes the creation of a multidisciplinary (optical science, microfabrication, biomedical imaging) scientific learning environment for students at a variety of levels (from K12 to graduate) and from several underrepresented groups (women, African-Americans, and Latinos); and incorporation of research results into courses on photonic devices and nanofabrication. The program will help to increase the scientific literacy of the public by outreach activities.