[Virtual] Simple and low-cost optical imaging tools for label-free molecular imaging and 3D microscopy

Presenter: Prof. Francisco Robles, Georgia Tech

Label-free molecular contrast and 3D tomographic imaging capabilities with subcellular resolution are invaluable for many biomedical applications. However, technologies with either of these capabilities are typically very complex and expensive, which hinders their widespread use. Here I will discuss my lab’s recent efforts to enable low-cost and highly sensitive molecular imaging using multispectral deep-UV microscopy. Its application to hematology and pathology will be described. In addition, I will present quantitative oblique back-illumination microscopy (qOBM), which enables epi-illumination tomographic, quantitative phase imaging in thick scattering samples with nanometer scale sensitivity. qOBM’s unique ability to image arbitrarily thick scattering samples quantitatively, with high speed,  low-cost and ease-of-use provides unique advantages for biomedical imaging. Results highlighting this technology’s unique capabilities in applications ranging from stem-cell therapy and regenerative medicine to image guided surgeries will be presented.