EAPSI: Synchronizing cell excitation and collection for deep-brain imaging

光学成像对生物研究和医学应用程序产生了巨大的影响。在各种成像技术中，多光子荧光显微镜(MPM)已经被用来在大脑的显著深度进行成像。MPM使用激光光源来激发标记在特定细胞上的荧光分子。当这些分子被激发时，它们发出某种颜色的光，可以收集这些光来产生图像。这项研究的目标是通过同步荧光分子的激发和发射光的收集来提高成像速度和质量。通过同步激发和采集，可以更有效地收集光线，从而实现更快的成像速度和更好的图像质量。该项目旨在建立同步系统，将与台湾国立台湾大学的刘子明博士合作进行。刘博士的团队专门从事高速成像，并开发和测试了高速同步系统。同步激光光源和采集有利于成像大脑等散射物质的深层。目前，成像深度受到样品热损伤阈值的限制，该阈值对应于允许的最大平均功率。对于更深层次的成像，必须增加峰值功率。现在，为了保持在损伤阈值以下，必须降低激光光源的重复频率，从而降低成像速度。在同步的情况下，每个像素只需要几个脉冲(~5)就能产生清晰的图像，而没有同步的情况下，每个像素需要大约100个脉冲。由于产生图像所需的每像素脉冲更少，这种同步系统将实现更快的深部大脑成像。这项NSF EAPSI奖是与台湾国家科学委员会合作资助的。

Optical imaging has had a tremendous impact on biological research and medical applications and procedures. Among the various imaging techniques, multiphoton fluorescence microscopy (MPM) has been used to image at significant depths within the brain. MPM uses a laser source to excite fluorescent molecules tagged to specific cells. When these molecules are excited, they emit light of a certain color that can be collected to produce an image. The goal of this research is to increase imaging speed and quality by synchronizing the excitation of the fluorescent molecules with the collection of the emitted light. By synchronizing the excitation and collection, the light is more efficiently collected, enabling faster imaging speed with better image quality. This project aims to build the synchronization system and will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Tzu-Ming Liu at the National Taiwan University in Taiwan. Dr. Liu's group specializes in high-speed imaging and has developed and tested high-speed synchronization systems.Synchronizing the laser source and collection is advantageous for imaging deep within scattering materials such as brain. Currently, imaging depth is limited by the sample's thermal damage threshold, corresponding to a maximum allowable average power. For deeper imaging, the peak power must be increased. Now, to remain below the damage threshold, the repetition rate of the laser source must be decreased, reducing the imaging speed. With synchronization, only a few pulses per pixel (~5) are required to produce a clear image, compared to ~100 pulses per pixel without synchronization. With fewer pulses per pixel required to produce an image, this synchronization system will enable faster deep-brain imaging. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the National Science Council of Taiwan.