Thomas Bifano

Using Adaptive Optics to Calibrate Extended Field of Depth Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope (EDOF-ASOM) with a MEMS Deformable Mirror

ABSTRACT
Deformable mirrors (DM) are used to improve image quality in microscopy by correcting wavefront errors. These errors are measured with a wavefront sensor (WFS). Image quality improvement is achieved through closed loop feedback control in a process known as adaptive optics (AO). Antonio and Ivanna helped implement and calibrate an adaptive optics system on a new type of microscope: an Extended Depth of Field Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope (EDOF-ASOM). The EDOF-ASOM instrument can achieve high resolution images over a large volume.

CONCLUSION
We were able to measure and compensate the static aberrations over 31 axial locations for each of 2025 lateral locations using adaptive optics. This calibration took 12 days of continuous closed loop control to complete.

Real-time controlled Incubator and Micro fabricated Platform to Exercise Engineered Cardiac Micro tissues

ABSTRACT
The CELL-MET team currently makes micro tissues using scaffolds made out of PDMS. Tissue force is measured by optically monitoring PDMS pillar deflection. An extension to this technique is to allow real-time control of micromechanical force in tissue and cellular level . In order to achieve this,  PDMS mold structure was re-designed to make a more efficient and easier way to measure and control force. A fast microscope was assembled along with an environmental chamber in order to actively stretch the PDMS substrate with piezo actuators. The environmental chamber was manually built in the lab and using PID control in order to achieve the ideal temperature and ultimately the high humidity and CO2 atmosphere necessary for the cardiac micro tissue cells In vitro.

CONCLUSION
In order for a cell to survive In vitro the chamber must have an atmospheric temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. At a PWM of 40 the temperature steady states at 36 degrees Celsius around 5000 seconds. This concludes that the PI control has worked  sufficiently and more efforts to make it work efficiently can be arranged. The next steps would include the humidity and a carbon dioxide control to be tested for further development of our micro tissue Incubator.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Antonio Martinez Margolles & Ivanna Corzo

GRADUATE STUDENT
Huate Li