Information-Rich Photon Imaging of Cells

细胞和组织是复杂的材料，其异质性和动态变化主要是在微米和亚微米尺寸尺度下驱动的，其中潜在的事件范围从微秒时间尺度向上，并且测量也基于分子的更快的光电事件（例如从皮秒到纳秒时间尺度的荧光和拉曼发射）。高能物理学和空间研究的进展使快速光子成像探测器成为可能，该探测器具有>1000个通道，每个通道测量单个光子到达到皮秒时间灵敏度。我们的目标是开发和使用这种成像探测器来捕获细胞和组织的高空间和时间复杂性。特别是，我们的目标是最大限度地利用光子信息来解开复杂的多组分信号，包括背景噪声，低于目前的测量和自动化平台的可见性，这是活细胞和组织的定量成像和生物测定的挑战。

Cells and tissue are complex materials whose heterogeneity and dynamic changes are principally driven at the micron and sub-micron size scales, with underlying events ranging upwards from microsecond time scales, and measurement also based upon faster photo-electronic events of molecules (eg fluorescent and Raman emission from picosecond to nanosecond timescales). Advances in high energy physics and space research have made possible a fast photon imaging detector with >1000 channels each measuring individual photon arrivals to picosecond temporal sensitivity. We aim to develop and use this imaging detector to capture the high spatial and temporal complexity of cells and tissue. In particular, our objectives concern maximising the photon information available to unravel complex multi-component signals, including within background noise, below the visibility of present measurement and automated platforms, which underlie challenges in quantitative imaging and bioassays of live cells and tissue.