Development of a platform for super-resolution imaging in non-conventional environments

结构照明显微镜（SIM）是一种超分辨率光学显微镜技术，可以对多种颜色的活体样品进行亚衍射成像。这是通过改变激发光的模式来照亮样品，并从三种或更多不同模式下获得的图像中计算提取亚衍射信息来实现的。除了将分辨率提高一倍之外，SIM数据的额外处理允许拒绝失焦光，产生光学切片图像，以增加深层组织的对比度和分辨率。自成立以来，SIM已成为希望研究生命系统内动态结构的生物学家的主力技术。然而，除了资金最充足的成像设施外，目前的SIM实现仍然过于昂贵和复杂。此外，现有系统的复杂性意味着它们只能在严格控制的环境中运行，并且需要广泛而复杂的硬件控制，这可能很难或不可能更换或修复。这就排除了SIM在不可能容纳可能对温度和不利环境条件敏感的大型设备的情况下的应用。这方面的例子包括用于研究南极物种的冷藏室和用于研究病原样本的高密封水平生物研究实验室。这个项目的目标是从根本上重新设计和构建一个SIM显微镜，为以前无法使用它的研究人员提供超分辨率显微镜。这将使病毒学等重要领域的生物学研究成为可能，由于现有成像技术的限制，这些领域的关键过程仍然知之甚少。该项目将开发一种基于商业空间光调制器的简单模式投影技术，例如在低成本投影仪中发现的那些。这将与低功率LED光源和3D打印部件相结合，这些部件可以很容易地更换，不需要访问专业供应商。捆绑在一起，这将是一个简单且易于访问的SIM系统，可以在传统光学实验室之外使用。

Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) is a super-resolution optical microscopy technique that enables sub-diffraction imaging of live samples in multiple colours. This is achieved by illuminating the sample with changing patterns of excitation light and computationally extracting sub-diffraction information from images acquired under three or more different patterns. In addition to a doubling of resolution, additional processing of SIM data allows the rejection of out of focus light, producing optically sectioned images to increase both the contrast and resolution in deep tissues.Since its inception, SIM has become a workhorse technique for biologists wishing to study dynamic structures within living systems. However, current implementations of SIM remain prohibitively expensive and complicated for all but the most well-funded imaging facilities.Additionally, the complexity of existing systems means they can only be operated in heavily controlled environments, and require extensive and complicated hardware control which can be difficult or impossible to replace or repair. This precludes the application of SIM in situations where it is not possible to house bulky apparatus that may be sensitive to temperature and adverse environmental conditions. Examples of this include the cold rooms used to study Antarctic species and the high containment level biological research labs used to study pathogenic samples. The goal of this project is to fundamentally re-design and construct a SIM microscope from the ground up, to offer super resolution microscopy to researchers who previously have been unable to make use of it. This will enable biological research in vital areas, such as virology, where key processes are still poorly understood due to limitations in existing imaging technologies. This project will develop a simple pattern projection technique based on a commercial spatial light modulator, such as those found in low-cost projectors. This will be combined with low-power LED light sources and 3D printed parts which can be easily replaced and do not require access to specialist suppliers. Bundled together, this will be a simple and easily accessible SIM system that can be used outside of traditional optics labs.