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For decades, optical microscopy has provided the mechanism with which to image cells and tissue for the purposes of cancer research, digital pathology, and the study of the brain. Samples are typically studied in frozen sections. Most of these systems use confocal microscopy and single-photon excitation, typically from a continuous-wave light source, to probe the sample. Multiphoton microscopy is used when deep-tissue and cellular-level resolution are desired to preserve the image of the tissue in its native environment. In laser scanning multiphoton microscopes, light from an ultrafast laser is tightly focused and scanned across the sample using fast mirrors. An image is created by detecting the fluorescence signal intensity at each point...

The biomedical community recognized the advantages of optical fibers long ago, accepting them even before their adoption for long-haul telecommunications1. Early research on the light-guiding properties of fibers in the late 1920s was aimed at applications in medical imaging. The first clad optical fiber was drawn on December 8, 1956, by Larry Curtis (Figure 1), a graduate student under Basil Hirschowitz at the University of Michigan. The technology was used in a multifiber bundle for a fiber endoscope, which Hirschowitz first tested on himself2.


Figure 1. Larry Curtis of the University of Michigan draws the first optical clad fiber by the rod-in-tube method, for use in a medical endoscope. Courtesy of Abraham Katzir.
Optical...

Photonics Media’s second annual online BioPhotonics Conference, highlighting the latest advancements in optical biomedical and life sciences technology, will run Oct. 25-27. Attendees can expect an expansive lineup of presentations detailing the cutting-edge research and innovative technologies that are leading to improved diagnostics, treatments, and heightened understanding of the biophotonics field.

Top minds from academia and industry will present keynotes and lectures spotlighting topics such as OCT, live-tissue imaging, microscopy, artificial intelligence in imaging, and biomedical lasers. The free, three-day online conference features over 35 presentations across seven tracks. Sessions can be viewed on demand following...

A technique for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in children takes advantage of the optical properties of gold nanoparticles to detect the disease. The technique uses an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to enhance the sensitivity of the test.

According to the research team from the University of Washington School of Medicine and Tulane University, it is particularly challenging to diagnose TB in children. Samples of the bacteria that are markers of the disease are difficult to obtain from children, even when sputum-based testing is used.

The researchers developed a way to optically detect two virulence factors for TB — the lipoarabinomannan (LAM) molecule and an associated protein called LprG. These factors are found on...

IDEX Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire micro-precision technology manufacturing company Muon BV (Muon Group) and its subsidiaries. The deal is worth €700 million (~$699.13 million).

Based in the Netherlands, Muon Group manufactures highly precise flow paths in a variety of materials that enable the movement of various liquids and gases in critical applications for medical technologies, semiconductor, food processing, digital printing, and filtration. It will join the Scientific Fluidics & Optics group in IDEX’s Health & Science Technology segment.

Muon Group is composed of five companies that have critical technical expertise in precision and tolerances for different materials, from...

A digital droplet microfluidic flow cytometry technique could enable earlier recognition of tumor development and progress, by aiding in the detection of multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) in single circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Tumor-associated miRNAs within CTCs are considered biomarkers for tumor growth.

According to the research team behind the technique, current CTC detection strategies that are based on surface epithelial markers exhibit low specificity in distinguishing between CTCs and epithelial cells in hematopoietic cell populations. So far, it has been challenging for scientists to devise a way to perform in situ analysis of multiple miRNAs of single living CTCs.

In the recent work, the team led by professor Chen Yan...

Where life begins, the matter is structured at the micron scale by slotting every single molecule into its needful space. The molecules looped a bilipid membrane and nested more functional molecules inside, controlling the flows of energy in that smallest living cell. Every loop is a thicket of surprises on how much life can accomplish. […]

Attendees at the SciX 2022 conference, which will be held Oct. 2-7 in Covington, Ky., will hear from expert researchers about everything from the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy in drug discovery to machine learning’s capability to capture biological and chemical changes in the body. The exhibit floor will offer insights into the latest developments in scientific analysis and laser-enhanced therapy, from major companies such as Avantes, Bruker Optics, Coherent, DRS Daylight Solutions, Edinburgh Instruments, HORIBA Scientific, Ibsen Photonics, OptoSigma, Teledyne Princeton Instruments, TOPTICA Photonics, and WITec.

Organized by the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS), SciX will be held...

In health care systems located in low- and middle-income countries, addressing the growing burden of cancer diagnosis and surgery may require a new vision — one that leverages affordable, portable, electricity-independent, and accessible biomedical technologies. Technologies that leverage biomedical optics are poised to meet this need because they can capture relevant morphological and physiological information that guides cancer diagnoses and excisions. These technologies can also be developed to enable procedures that are fast, low-cost, noninvasive, and nondestructive to tissue, making such devices potentially well suited for areas where surgical space is limited.

According to the World Health Organization, 4.8 billion people...