MRI: Development of an Ultra-miniature Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope

0079789成本这是一项开发计划，旨在建立一个微型共聚焦激光扫描显微镜，用于对自然环境中的细菌生物膜进行原位成像。共聚焦显微镜是研究细菌在表面的附着以及它们组织成称为生物膜的群落的主要成像方式。我们对这些微生物群落的了解仅限于那些可以被诱使在光学顺应性环境中生长的物种，例如流动细胞，这些环境与传统的显微镜工具兼容。由于我们没有与这些环境兼容的成像工具，阻碍了将研究扩展到其自然环境中的薄膜，例如管道和容器内或地下。申请人建议利用硅微机械加工和微透镜技术的最新进展来生产直径小于2毫米、长度仅为10毫米的共焦显微镜。这种仪器被称为共焦微探头，可以通过内窥镜或内窥镜的工作通道引入，以允许对生物膜的形成和生长进行原位研究。共焦微探头将支持明场成像以及亚微米分辨率的荧光成像。它将与现有的商业共焦光学显微镜接口，并通过我们商业仪器的用户界面控制微探头的操作。这种新的微型仪器将在生物膜工程中心广泛使用，在那里它的影响将在几个项目中感受到。其中一个项目是研究土壤等多孔介质中生物膜的形成，生物膜研究的目标是分离污染物或提高注水井石油二次采收率的生物屏障。该中心将从这一发展中受益的另一个研究方向是使用通过管道镜工作通道运送的超微型显微镜对核储存设施中的污垢和微生物影响的腐蚀进行微观研究。研究自然环境中的混合生物膜(如龈下菌斑)是非常重要的，而共焦显微探头将为这些研究提供巨大的优势。该仪器将由生物膜工程中心、电气和计算机工程系以及微机械激光扫描设备的世界领先者Microvision，Inc.合作使用。Microvision处于有利地位，可以利用这一开发计划，并将成为愿意将这项技术从大学实验室环境转移到商业舞台的合作伙伴。

0079789CostertonThis is a development proposal to build a miniature confocal laser scanning microscope for in situ imaging of bacterial biofilms in their natural environments.Confocal microscopy is the dominant imaging modality for the study of bacterial adhesion onto surfaces, and their organization into communities called biofilms. Our understanding of these microbial communities is limited to those species that can be coaxed to grow in optically compliant environments such as flow cells, which are compatible with conventional microscopy tools. Extension of studies to films in their native environment, such as inside pipes and vessels or underground, are hindered because we do not have imaging tools that are compatible with those environments.The applicant proposes to exploit recent advances in Silicon micromachining and microlens technologies to produce a confocal microscope smaller than 2 mm in diameter and only 10 mm long. Called the confocal microprobe, the instrument may be introduced through the working channel of a borescope or endoscope to permit in situ studies of biofilm formation and growth. The confocal microprobe will support brightfield imaging as well as fluorescent imaging with submicrometer resolution. It will interface to an existing commercial confocal optical microscope, and operation of the microprobe will be controlled via the user interface of our commercial instrument.This new miniature instrument will be used extensively in the Center for Biofilm Engineering, where its impact will be felt on several programs. One of those programs is the study of biofilm formation in porous media such as soil, where biofilm research is targeting 'biobarriers" for isolation of pollutants or to improve secondary recovery of oil from injection wells. Another research direction in the Center that will benefit from this development is the microscopic study of fouling and microbially influenced corrosion in nuclear storage facilities, using an ultraminiature microscope delivered through the working channel of a borescope. The study of mixed species biofilms (such as subgingival plaque) in their natural environment is extremely important, and the confocal microprobe will offer tremendous advantage for those studies.This instrument will be used collaboratively between the Center for Biofilm Engineering, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Microvision, Inc., the world leader in micromechanical laser beam scanning devices. Microvision is well positioned to capitalize on this development program and would be a willing partner to transition this technology from the university lab environment into the commercial arena.