Optical Systems and Image Sensors for Imaging in Freely-Moving Animals

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Imaging is a powerful tool for biomedical research offering non-contact and minimally or non-invasive means of investigating at multiple scales - from single molecules to large populations of cells. Imaging in awake, behaving animals is an emerging field that offers the additional advantage of being able to study physiological processes and structures in a more natural state than what is possible in tissue slices or even in anesthetized animals. It can provide important information on physiological as well as diseased states of living organisms. I propose the development of instrumentation that will allow long term imaging in freely-moving animals without any tethers. The two main aims of the proposal are to create new integrated circuit based image sensors that offer the performance or large benchtop cameras while offering considerable saving in weight, complexity and size. The other is to design miniature optical imaging systems that when integrated with the image sensors can create tiny, fingertip-sized, stand-alone devises that implement illumination, focusing and image capture. Miniaturized high-sensitivity, high-resolution imaging systems can also be used for portable, point-of-care medical imaging instruments, such as retinal imagers, that can be field-deployed in remote locations without much infrastructure. Ultimately, these instruments will be of great use for both biomedical research and clinical applications.