Imaging tumor spheroid by SWIR CARS

Mentors

Project Description

Spheroid and organoid as non-animal models offer a valuable platform for basic biology and drug screen. Yet, probing cellular metabolic activity inside the spheroid remain a grand challenge due to limited penetration depth of optical microscopy and fluorescent labels. In the REU project, we tackle this challenge through developing shortwave infrared (SWIR) coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, a label-free imaging platform with large imaging depth.

This REU project will use phantom and spheroid models to show the capacity of this new technology, including imaging depth, spatial resolution and spectroscopic detection of biomolecules.

  • Project formulation
  • Instrumentation
  • Label-free imaging
  • Research presentation
  • Team work

Timeline

Week 1: Project formulation.
Weeks 2-3: Learning CARS.
Weeks 4-5: CARS imaging of 2D samples.
Weeks 6-7: CARS imaging of 3D samples.
Weeks 8-9: CARS imaging of tumor spheroid.
Week 10: Research presentation.

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