Biophotonics technology for minimally invasive in-vivo diagnosis

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Biophotonics (or biomedical optics) is a fast growing interdisciplinary field in which recent physical, chemical, and engineering advances are applied to meet biological and medical challenges. Optical energy can be used to accurately and precisely detect certain changes in the biological system in terms of its localization, volume, energy, time, and spectra. Particularly, the use of fiber optic catheters enables minimally invasive delivery and detection of optical energy in very remote regions of the human body. Fluorescence-based spectroscopy and imaging techniques are important thrusts in biophotonics.  When light is onto biological tissue, some tissue molecules will emit fluorescence light containing intrinsic information about these fluorophores (collagen, elastin, lipids, NADH, flavin, vitamin, amino acids etc.) Fluorescence spectroscopy techniques acquire and analyze this emitted light to characterize the biochemical composition and pathological conditions of the living biological system. They have played important roles in developing minimally-invasive diagnostic modalities for both basic and clinical research. In addition to naturally occurring fluorophores, synthesized exogenous fluorescent dyes have been used to target specific malignant cells or intracellular species (e.g. mitochondria and/or membrane). Advances in such technologies will have broad applicability such as early detection and diagnosis of malignant conditions, image-guided interventions, and monitoring responses to therapy, which will ultimately benefit Canada's health care system.