Label-free Vibrational Imaging Techniques for Applications in Biological and Chemical Analysis

这个项目是在令人兴奋的跨学科领域无标签成像及其在生物和化学分析中的应用。目前生物学中使用的技术要么不能提供分子（化学）特定信息，要么依赖于标记荧光团/染料来实现可视化，此外，这些技术具有侵入性和/或破坏性。在电化学/催化中，虽然测量了整体（系综平均）现象，但由于缺乏互补和化学特异性成像技术，表面上的局部变化无法可视化。在这个项目中，目标是开发生物（电）化学应用的振动“化学选择性”成像技术。基于相干拉曼散射（CRS）的技术，这是一种振动指纹技术，比传统的自发拉曼光谱技术更强大。在CRS中，信号更强，可以进行现场实时成像，但可以像拉曼光谱一样提供信息和化学选择性。因此，在典型的亚微米（或更低）空间分辨率下进行CRS技术的化学选择性成像的能力可以使人们对生物电化学界面（如系留膜、新电极材料和催化表面）的现象有更深入的了解。因此，在本项目中，我们将探索我们最近开发的化学选择性微/纳米CRS成像技术的应用，以证明它们在我们对液-固界面发生的化学现象的理解方面的作用。

This project is in the exciting interdisciplinary area of label-free imaging and its applications in biological and chemical analysis. Current techniques used in biology either do not give molecule (chemical) specific information or rely on tagging fluorophores/dyes to enable visualisation and in addition, are invasive and/or destructive. In electrochemistry/catalysis while bulk (ensemble averaged) phenomenon is measured, local changes on surfaces are not visualised due to lack of complementary and chemical specific imaging techniques. In this project the aim is to develop vibrational 'chemically selective' imaging techniques for bio-(electro)-chemical applications. Techniques based on coherent Raman scattering (CRS), which are vibrational finger-printing techniques, and much more powerful than conventional spontaneous Raman spectroscopy will be used. In CRS the signals are much stronger to allow in situ real-time imaging yet can be as informative and chemically selective as Raman spectroscopy. Thus, the ability to do chemically selective imaging at the typical sub-micron (or lower) spatial resolution of CRS techniques can yield an advanced understanding of phenomena at bio-electrochemical interfaces such as tethered membranes, new electrode materials and catalytic surfaces, respectively. Thus in this project applications of our recently developed chemically selective micro-/nano-scopic CRS imaging techniques will be explored to demonstrate their utility in bringing about a step change in our understanding of chemical phenomena occurring at liquid-solid interfaces.