Biomelecular spectroscopy and analysis

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Research in my laboratory is focused mainly on bioanalytical & biophysical methods and applications based on several types of Raman spectroscopy, which are optical inelastic scattering techniques that can be used to determine concentrations and conformations of biomolecules in aqueous environments. The current Discovery Grant proposal focuses mainly on near-infrared Raman microspectroscopy and its application to chemical mapping/characterization of live cells & tissues. We have recently made several advances in the non-invasive analysis of pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells using this approach. We are proposing to extend these applications to the identification and selection of emerging phenotypes in differentiating cells, particularly those deriving from human induced pluripotent stem cells, which have not been studied spectroscopically before. We will also explore other applications of Raman microspectroscopy for cellular analysis of red blood cells and blood platelets, the goal being to identify specific spectral markers equivalent to standard morphological assays to provide a more robust, rapid and informative protocol for monitoring blood product quality during production and storage. Another area in which my laboratory has established leadership is the development of specialized spectral processing and analysis methods for signal-to-noise-enhancement, deconvolution, background correction, and analysis of chemical/structural dynamics. These methods enable extraction of more information from complex systems such as cells and tissues and thereby aid interpretation of the data. The proposal describes related future research activities with applications that impact all areas of my research program, but that also facilitate opening up a new dimension involving applications to medical imaging. Our objective here is to develop iterative image processing methods for improving the clarity and contrast of computed tomography (CT) images to aid diagnostic accuracy. This research program will yield new technologies that will contribute toward advances in regenerative medicine, blood services and diagnostic medicine.