INSPIRE Track 1: Nanotechnology for Adaptive Optics

该INSPIRE奖的部分资金来自工程局CBET部门的生物光子学(7236)和生物医学工程(5345)计划；计算机和信息科学与工程局信息和智能系统部门的稳健智能(7495)计划；以及生物基础设施局综合组织系统部门的组织(7712)计划和生物基础设施局的仪器和仪器开发(1108)计划。新兴前沿(7275)资金由生物局提供给组织和仪器和仪器开发计划。光学成像生物系统中的实时生理过程的能力对于了解生物系统如何计算和功能至关重要。为了能够对深部、任意尺度的组织进行成像，PI建议解决活组织成像中的一个基本限制：活组织对光的散射。使用传统的现成空间光调制器、干涉仪、照相机和其他硬件的自适应光学已经投入了大量的工作。在这里，PI建议创造新的自适应光学技术，而不是基于纳米技术，这可以帮助校正生物组织的散射特性的光学成像。该项目的目标不亚于使实时生理过程在整个活组织和器官中可见，这对于了解生物计算是如何发生的很重要。对于任何理解复杂的3-D系统是关键的领域，影响都将是巨大的--对心脏和大脑等活器官的研究，对免疫系统的研究，对新陈代谢的研究，对发育和衰老的研究，以及癌症生物学。他们将尽可能自由地分发所有工具，并寻求分发机制，以尽可能以成本最大限度地提供工具。提出的创新还将有益于复杂系统的光遗传控制领域。这些创新也将极大地帮助各级教育中的生物和医学教学，因为形象化能力在教育中是强大的；我们将把这些工具纳入麻省理工学院和其他地方的教学中，让受训科学家以及公众参与进来。通过工具使用的直接影响，以及通过教学，他们预计这些拟议的技术将导致更具科学素养的劳动力。他们还预计，在创造新的诊断和医学方法方面，会产生商业影响。寻找更好的疾病机制或疾病治疗机制的能力，可能会加速新药和疗法的开发。这里提出的一些技术还可以催生新公司或新产品，从而促进经济发展，并有助于工具的传播。

ABSTRACTThis INSPIRE award is partially funded by the Biophotonics (7236)and Biomedical Engineering (5345) programs in the CBET Division in the Directorate for Engineering; the Robust Intelligence (7495) program in the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering; and the the Organization (7712) program in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems in the Directorate for Biology and the Instrumentation and Instrument Development (1108) program in the Division of Biological Infrastructure, also in the Directorate for Biology. Emerging Frontiers (7275) money was provided for the Organization and Instrumentation and Instrument Development programs by the Directorate for Biology.The ability to optically image real-time physiological processes in living systems is of central importance for understanding how biological systems compute and function. In order to enable the imaging of deep, arbitrary-scale tissues, the PI proposes to address one of the fundamental limitations in live tissue imaging: the scattering of light by live tissues. Much work has been devoted to adaptive optics using conventional off-the-shelf spatial light modulators, interferometers, cameras, and other hardware. Here the PI proposes to create new technologies for adaptive optics based instead upon nanotechnology, which can help correct optical imaging for the scattering properties of living tissues. The project goal is nothing less than that of making real-time physiological processes visible throughout live tissues and organs, important for understanding how biological computations occur. The impact will be large for any field where understanding complex 3-D systems is key - for the study of live organs such as heart and brain, for the immune system, for the study of metabolism, for the study of development and aging, and for cancer biology. They will distribute all tools as freely as possible, and pursue distribution mechanisms to maximize the availability of tools, at cost whenever possible. The proposed innovations will also benefit the field of optogenetic control of complex systems. These innovations will also greatly help with teaching of biology and medicine at all levels of education, since the ability to visualize things is powerful in education; we will incorporate these tools into teaching both at MIT and elsewhere, engaging scientists-in-training, as well as the public. Through both direct impact of tool usage, as well as via teaching, they anticipate that these proposed technologies will result in a more scientifically literate workforce. they also anticipate commercial impact, in the creation of new methods of diagnostics and medicine. The ability to hunt down better disease mechanisms, or mechanisms of disease treatment, may accelerate the development of new drugs and therapies. Some of the technologies here proposed could also lead to new companies, or new products, thus contributing to economic development, as well as helping with dissemination of the tools.