Spectrophotometer for exploratory photoacoustic spectroscopy and molecular theragnostics

人们正在开发新的方法来对生物材料、组织和组织工程模块进行光学表征。这些方法包括更传统的依赖光学散射和吸收的方法，如近红外成像，以及包括光声成像的新方法。此外，正在开发小纳米颗粒作为造影剂，与上面提到的方法一起使用，以早期发现肿瘤并随后治疗它们。瑞尔森大学的生物医学光学小组今年增加了两名新的教员，他们严重依赖于了解被检查材料的光学性质。在这项资助中，需要一台高端分光光度计来实现对生物材料和组织工程模块的光学性质的测量。该仪器具有足够的灵敏度来检测来自光强度极大降低或根本不改变的材料的光，但更重要的是，它将能够对许多不同波长的光进行测量。这些属性将极大地扩展可用于光学表征生物材料和组织工程结构的实验条件的范围。因此，预计该仪器将帮助许多研究生和高素质人员进行所需的测量，以了解所使用的生物材料的光学性质。

New methods are being developed to optically characterize biomaterials, tissues and tissue engineered modules. These methods include more conventional methods that rely on optical scattering and absorption such as near infrared imaging, and novel methods that include photoacoustic imaging. Moreover, small nanoparticles are being developed as contrast agents that would be used with the methods mentioned above to detect tumors early and to then treat them. The biomedical optics group at Ryerson University added two new faculty members this year that heavily rely on knowing the optical properties of the materials examined. In this grant, a high-end spectrophotometer is requested to achieve the measurement of the optical properties of biomaterials and tissue engineered modules. The instrument has sufficient sensitivity to detect light from materials that either greatly reduce the light intensity or do not change it at all, but also more importantly would be able to make the measurement for many different wavelengths of light. These attributes will greatly expand the range of experimental conditions that can be used optically characterize the biomaterials and tissue engineered constructs. Therefore, it is anticipated that the instrument will help many graduate students and highly qualified personnel in making the measurements required to understand the optical properties of the biomaterials being used.