This is the syndication feed for photonics.com: BioPhotonics. https://www.photonics.com/BioPhotonics/p1 Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:44:30 GMT Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:13:38 GMT 1800
Leading practitioners across the spectrum of innovation in biophotonics technology will spotlight the field’s rapidly advancing landscape in the BioPhotonics Conference taking place October 24-26. The online showcase features sessions from technology developers and instrument manufacturers spanning the industry, academia, and research communities.

Luminary figures, as well as startup companies and established players, are among those that comprise this year’s program. Sessions will focus on trends in microscopy, imaging, and spectroscopy in specific program tracks. Selected topics include live-cell and deep learning-enabled imaging, digital chemical histopathology, photoacoustic spectroscopy, and biometrology and...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/BioPhotonics_Conference_Highlights_Effective/a69340 A69340 Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:13:38 GMT
Nearly 70 years ago, an unusual fossil found in Mazon Creek Lagerstätte in Grundy County in Illinois spawned a decades-long dispute about what type of marine creature the Tully monster is. Discovered by fossil hunter Francis Tully in the 1950s, the ~15 cm-long, soft-bodied Tullimonstrum gregarium has stalked eyes and a long nose and is unlike any other species on the fossil record. A debate began among paleontologists in the ensuing years about whether it was properly identified as a vertebrate or invertebrate species, with a slew of published studies articulating both sides of the argument. Modern imaging technology has been used as a mediator.


3D scanning has helped to classify the so-called Tully monster — first...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Imaging_helps_call_out_a_monster/a69304 A69304 Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:15:40 GMT
Scientists in the biophotonics community have long recognized the value of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in diagnostics, ever since the creation of a computer-assisted detection model to highlight areas of concern in images and the FDA’s subsequent approval of this approach for mammography in the 1990s. Software programs have since catapulted radiomics — the extraction of a large number of features from images and the interpretation of that information — into the fore of medical practice. Today, it is used not only for data extraction but also for noise reduction and reconstruction of the images themselves, for both research and clinical use. Simultaneously, this has generated a need to harness this...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Real_smarts_boosts_AI_value/a69303 A69303 Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:12:16 GMT
Many researchers and product developers using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for biomedical research and clinical treatment choose to build their own system. This requires multiple optical and mechanical components, an understanding of signal and image processing, and the optics and programming expertise needed to bring it all together — as well as a significant investment of time to assemble and calibrate the system. Using a prebuilt, off-the-shelf OCT spectrometer as one of the starting components can speed and simplify this process, reduce risk, and improve the quality of images collected.

This primer will delve into key considerations for the optical designer when building an SD-OCT system, with a...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Build_Versus_Buy_Considerations_in_SD-OCT_System/a69245 A69245 Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:36:13 GMT
According to a recent survey conducted by Huma.AI, the majority of medical affairs leaders and professionals see potential for Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT)-like technology to be applied at life sciences companies to improve efficiency and accuracy in a variety of functions. In addition, they believe a generative AI platform could improve patient outcomes in health care settings by gathering unstructured data from disparate sources — such as details from an amalgam of medical images — to ultimately assist in assembling treatment strategies. As such, while AI should never be seen as a replacement for human judgment, it possesses the power to enhance the use of scientific information along with medical care...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Responsible_AI_Can_Enhance_Life_Sciences/a69236 A69236 Thu, 10 Aug 2023 13:46:13 GMT
BioPhotonics spoke with Holger Schmidt, Ph.D., distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering and the Narinder Singh Kapany chair of optoelectronics in the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz. He directs the W.M. Keck Center for Nanoscale Optofluidics and its nanofabrication and characterization facilities and served as the associate dean for research from 2016 to 2021. Schmidt’s team recently published a paper about the application of signal processing techniques to a newly developed optofluidic chip-based biosensor (www.doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.489068).
The goal is to create a system that can accurately detect multiple biomarkers at various concentrations at once. What is the inherent value of...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Three_Questions_with_Holger_Schmidt/a69234 A69234 Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:36:36 GMT
Tens of millions of people around the world suffer from corneal diseases, with only a small fraction eligible for corneal transplantation. In a recent study, researchers at the University of Ottawa showed that biomimetic materials activated with low-energy blue light can reshape and thicken damaged corneal tissue to promote healing and recovery. The research results could provide a safe way to treat corneal thinning, as well as a practical alternative to corneal transplantation.

Further, the dosage of pulsed blue light needed to activate the biomaterial is minimal, which mitigates the possibility of cytotoxic effects from the light.
An injectable biomaterial activated by pulses of low-energy blue light has tremendous potential for...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Light-Activated_Biomimetic_Gel_Offers_Potential/a69210 A69210 Thu, 03 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT
Along with unveiling its second-quarter earnings, ams OSRAM announced it will eliminate its passive optical components portfolio, among others, as part of a strategic realignment. The company plans to cut what it called its “noncore semiconductor businesses” as it refocuses its semiconductor portfolio on differentiated, intelligent sensor, and emitter components. It said it will continue to pursue opportunities in consumer markets, such as microLEDs.

Other updates include plans to increase commitments to the automotive, industrial, and medical markets; restriction of management board membership to only the CEO and CFO (Aldo Kamper and Rainer Irle, respectively), effective Jan. 1, 2024; and the formation of two business...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/ams_OSRAM_Details_Business_Restructure/a69206 A69206 Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT
An international team of researchers has made an advancement to the technique of optical coherence tomography (OCT) that holds implications for ophthalmology, dermatology, cardiology, and the early detection of cancer. The work was conducted by University of Adelaide, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Aerospace Corp., and University of St. Andrews.

One of the current challenges in OCT is the scattering of light in tissue that obscures information at depth. OCT relies on light being backscattered within the sample. This occurs when light passes between different layers of cells, for example. Getting a discernible signal from depths beyond 1 mm is enormously challenging due to several factors, including signal from intervening...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Reconceptualized_OCT_Method_Targets_Cancer/a69187 A69187 Tue, 25 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT
Techniques for micromanipulation, including those that rely on optofluidics, are widely adopted for applications in the life sciences, materials science, and colloidal physics. These techniques support nanostructure assembly and particle trapping, for example, as well as the spatiotemporal analysis of cell organization. Introducing optically induced thermoviscous flows, known and commercialized as focused-light-induced cytoplasmic streaming (FLUCS), can be used to optically move the cytoplasm in cells and developing embryos, and can be used in intracellular rheology.

FLUCS is induced by mid-infrared laser scanning of a temperature spot through a sample. An advantage of FLUCS is its ability to generate directional flows with highly...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Optofluidic_Micromanipulations_Show_Aptitude_in/a69185 A69185 Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT
SiPhox Health, an MIT spinout developing laboratory-grade home health testing using silicon photonics technology, has secured $27 million in financing — $10 million in seed financing and $17 million in a series A round.

According to SiPhox, the series A funding will enable team expansion as the company works to achieve FDA clearance for its SiPhox Home platform. The company said it plans for the solution to offer users a menu of proteins and hormone tests from a finger prick blood sample, and to deliver results in five minutes or less. SiPhox Health has launched a mail-in blood collection kit that measures 17 biomarkers for inflammation and metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular health.
SiPhox Health co-founders: CEO Diedrik...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/At-Home_Biosensing_Platform_Developer_Gets_27M/a69179 A69179 Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:41:46 GMT
Fluorescence polarization imaging, which measures the polarization of specific fluorophores relative to excitation light, has recently become a tool with which clinicians have sought to clearly delineate the boundaries of various types of cancers in the body. The fluorescence from agents such as methylene blue have traditionally been used to indicate the existence of cancerous cells in biopsy procedures. But the reliable interpretation of this data is heavily dependent on the skill level of the person examining the excised tissue under the microscope. A team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Lowell recently hypothesized that fluorescence polarization could be a reliable method to boost the accuracy of findings in...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Gaining_an_edge_in_cancer_diagnostics/a69172 A69172 Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:38:41 GMT
Scientists at Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have developed an imaging technology to analyze live brain tissue at a scope and spatial resolution that, according to the researchers, was not previously possible.

The technology, called Live Information Optimized Nanoscopy Enabling Saturated Segmentation (LIONESS), integrates optical methods and deep learning to allow dense, 4D, nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue. LIONESS images and reconstructs the sample in a way that clarifies many dynamic structures and functions in the live tissue. The method unites live imaging with nanoscale reconstruction, extending tissue analysis with information on morphological dynamics, molecular identities, and neuronal...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Brain_Imaging_Image_Reconstruction_Combine_in_a/a69168 A69168 Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT
The potential for bias and unfairness in the integration of AI in health care-centered research and diagnostics, particularly in medical image analysis, must be addressed to ensure equitable and effective outcomes for all patients. Biases can occur during the implementation of any of the five steps of the imaging AI model development pipeline, as our Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center (MIDRC) team from the University of Chicago and other institutions has pointed out. These steps include data collection, data preparation and annotation, model development, model evaluation, and model deployment in real-world health care settings.
To measure disparate impact, bias, and unfairness, appropriate metrics capturing differential performance...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Equitable_and_fair_AI_for_health_care_requires_a/a69171 A69171 Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:19:14 GMT
In the animal kingdom, certain species are adept at camouflaging themselves to blend in with their surroundings to avoid the attention of predators. But in the plant kingdom, certain species of flowers blend in with their surroundings to increase the attraction of pollinators. Such is the case with Diuris brumalis, otherwise known as the donkey orchid, which grows in western Australia.

Those who study this flower have long been baffled by the fact that bees repeatedly visit this orchid to pollinate it, even though the flower does not provide nectar. After some investigation, a team of researchers from around the world learned that it accomplishes this with a form of spectral subterfuge — the plant presents UV signals that are...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/UV_signals_from_orchids_entice_bees_to_visit/a69170 A69170 Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:14:38 GMT
To improve the study of the pathological processes of cancer cells, researchers at Beijing Institute of Technology combined divided-aperture laser differential confocal microscopy with Raman spectroscopy and Brillouin spectroscopy. The researchers showed that their multichannel, microspectroscopic tool improves the spatial resolution of confocal microscopy and the detection accuracy of Raman and Brillouin spectroscopy for the study of human cells and tissues.

The technique, which the researchers call divided-aperture laser differential confocal Raman-Brillouin spectrum microscopy (DLDCRBSM), simultaneously detects multidimensional information, including 3D geometrical morphology, Raman spectrum, and Brillouin spectrum, in situ, in...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Multimodal_Microspectroscopic_Approach_Targets/a69165 A69165 Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT
The complementary strengths of fluorescence and vibrational microscopy are combined in a new technique developed at Caltech, which is called bond-selective fluorescence-detected infrared-excited spectro-microscopy (BonFIRE). BonFIRE will benefit biological investigations by providing researchers with rich chemical information as well as single-molecule sensitivity.

“With our new microscope, we can now visualize single molecules with vibrational contrast, which is challenging to do with existing technologies,” researcher Dongkwan Lee said.

Fluorescence microscopy allows researchers to observe single molecules, but it does not provide detailed chemical information about molecular distributions. Vibrational microscopy...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Microscopy_Method_Uses_Infrared_Light_to_Image/a69144 A69144 Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT
The brain-gut connection is known to influence hunger and mood, and it has also been associated with neurological and other disorders. To explore the signaling that occurs between these two organs, scientists at MIT integrated light sources, thermal sensors, microelectronics, and microfluidics in a device that enables stable bioelectronic interfaces with the brain and gastrointestinal tract in mice.

“To be able to perform gut optogenetics and then measure the effects on brain function and behavior, which requires millisecond precision, we needed a device that didn’t exist. So, we decided to make it,” researcher Atharva Sahasrabudhe said.

The multifunctional, microelectronic device provides wireless modulation...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Optogenetics_Reveals_Relationship_Between_Brain/a69126 A69126 Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT
Diffuse reflection spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy are having a major effect in medicine and the life sciences, with expanding application in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. And fiber optic-based probes are becoming an essential and versatile solution for collecting the necessary spectroscopic measurements for analysis. This data ultimately informs both in vivo and in vitro analysis and diagnosis to detect cancer cells or the presence of specific diseases and may in some instances render traditional biopsies unnecessary.

Blood analysis

Fiber optic probes are ideal for performing fluorescence spectroscopy in conjunction with in vitro blood analysis. They allow a scientist or clinician to illuminate a sample...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Fiber_Optic_Probes_Help_Customize_Spectroscopic/a69106 A69106 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:24:54 GMT
In many academic research and medical settings, microscopy and imaging have transitioned from using traditional lamp illumination, such as mercury and Xenon lamphouses, to solid-state LED technologies. The benefits of moving to LEDs include long lifetimes and increased stability of the light source, eliminating the need to replace or dispose of toxic bulb waste. Fluorescence microscopy, for its part, has traditionally used and been limited by the spectrum of the mercury arc lamp, which has defined the chemistry of fluorophores, as well as the excitation and emission filters used in fluorescence imaging across the world. The discrete peaks of the mercury arc lamp spectrum have dictated the chemistry of the most common fluorophores,...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Illumination_Advancing_Fluorescence_Microscopy_in/a69105 A69105 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:17:13 GMT