Studies of skin cancer by microRaman spectroscopy and laser spectral imaging

我们的研究项目将集中于使用微拉曼光谱和激光光谱成像（包括拉曼成像和多光子成像）进行皮肤癌的实验研究。我们研究项目的第一个目标是深入了解癌症的分子基础。第二个目标是开发一种非侵入性的皮肤癌诊断方法。皮肤癌，包括基底细胞癌、鳞状细胞癌和恶性黑色素瘤，是迄今为止加拿大最常见的癌症（每年约有75,000例新病例）。不幸的是，皮肤癌的诊断仍然依赖于活检，这是一种侵入性的外科手术。此外，对肿瘤发生和转移的分子机制还远未完全了解。拉曼散射光谱已被证明是探测生物材料振动激发的有效工具。观察到的拉曼光谱通常包含样品中化学成分、分子结构和分子相互作用的丰富信息。通过测量二维或三维图像的每个像素处的拉曼光谱来构建拉曼图像。例如，细胞的拉曼图像包含细胞的生物组件的光谱和结构信息。因此，拉曼成像是研究分子、细胞和组织功能以及疾病和药物作用的细胞机制的通用工具。多光子成像是另一种光谱成像技术。近年来，该技术因其具有高分辨率、高效率的无创断层成像能力而备受关注。我们是一群在激光光谱学、凝聚态物理、皮肤病学和癌症生物学方面具有专业知识的物理学家和医生。研究界和最终的癌症患者将受益于我们的研究成果。

Our research program will focus on experimental studies of skin cancer using microRaman spectroscopy and laser spectral imaging including Raman imaging and multiphoton imaging. The first goal of our research program is to gain insight into the molecular basis of cancer. The second goal is to develop a non-invasive method for the diagnosis of skin cancer. Skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma, is by far the most common cancer in Canada (about 75,000 new cases each year). Unfortunately, the diagnosis of skin cancer still relies on biopsy, an invasive surgical procedure. In addition, the molecular mechanism of the cause and metastasis of cancer is still far from being fully understood. Raman scattering spectroscopy has been proven to be an effective tool of probing vibrational excitations in biological materials. The observed Raman spectra often contain rich information about the chemical composition, molecular structure, and molecular interactions in the sample. A Raman image is constructed by measuring the Raman spectrum at each pixel of a two- or threedimensional image. For example, the Raman image of a cell contains both the spectral and structural information of the bioassemblies of the cell. Therefore, Raman imaging is a versatile tool for the investigation of molecular, cellular and tissue functions, as well as cellular mechanisms of diseases and drug action. Multiphoton imaging is another spectral imaging technology. In the past few years, this technology has attracted a great deal of attention because of its capability of non-invasive sectional imaging with a high resolution and high efficiency. We are a group of physicists and medical doctors with expertise in laser spectroscopy, condensed matter physics, dermatology and cancer biology. The research community and ultimately the cancer patients will benefit from our research results.