Electronic Holography for Biomedical Applications Using a Coherent Source
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Aberdeen
Department Name: College of Physical Sci Graduate School
Abstract
Observations of cell movement in three-dimension within living tissues is very important for the research in biomedical sciences. However, the link between the wealth of cell behavioral information from two dimensional cultures and the natural physiology and pathology is missing when biological samples are prepared for examination under light microscope in the laboratory .
The proposal will combine the expertise in digital holography of physical sciences and that in cell movement in biomedical sciences at University of Aberdeen and build a digital holographic system to study living biological samples. This will allow us to visualize cell movement in its actual living environment, including fast moving cells, such as those in the blood stream, which is not currently possible to be observed at high resolution. A digital hologram of a living sample can be conveniently recorded on an electronic sensor and then reconstructed in a computer. The reconstructed holographic images show the original scene of the living samples of interests in three dimensional space. The new system provides extra information for examining living cell behaviours compare with the conventional imaging systems with two dimensional sampling mechanisms.
At the University of Aberdeen, the optical engineering group has more than 25 years experience in optical engineering and is one of the leading groups in the world specializing in holographic imaging (Watson et al, Meas. Sci. Technol., vol. 12 pp L9-15, 2001, Sun et al, J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 6 pp703-10, 2005) and have built one of the most advanced electronic holographic camera for marine biology. The Medical Sciences Group has more than ten years experience in cell migration study and have recently made a significant contribution in understanding cell movement in wound healing (Zhao et al, Nature, vol. 442, pp 457-60, 2006).
The ?hopping? from optical engineering discipline to biomedical sciences is aiming to allow the applicant to gain extensive experience of working in biomedical sciences discipline and apply the optical engineering ideas of physical sciences to medical sciences effectively, and to build a digital/electronic holographic video microscopy system. It is expected that the hopping will significantly promote new interactions between groups of Optical Engineering and Medical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.
The proposal will combine the expertise in digital holography of physical sciences and that in cell movement in biomedical sciences at University of Aberdeen and build a digital holographic system to study living biological samples. This will allow us to visualize cell movement in its actual living environment, including fast moving cells, such as those in the blood stream, which is not currently possible to be observed at high resolution. A digital hologram of a living sample can be conveniently recorded on an electronic sensor and then reconstructed in a computer. The reconstructed holographic images show the original scene of the living samples of interests in three dimensional space. The new system provides extra information for examining living cell behaviours compare with the conventional imaging systems with two dimensional sampling mechanisms.
At the University of Aberdeen, the optical engineering group has more than 25 years experience in optical engineering and is one of the leading groups in the world specializing in holographic imaging (Watson et al, Meas. Sci. Technol., vol. 12 pp L9-15, 2001, Sun et al, J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 6 pp703-10, 2005) and have built one of the most advanced electronic holographic camera for marine biology. The Medical Sciences Group has more than ten years experience in cell migration study and have recently made a significant contribution in understanding cell movement in wound healing (Zhao et al, Nature, vol. 442, pp 457-60, 2006).
The ?hopping? from optical engineering discipline to biomedical sciences is aiming to allow the applicant to gain extensive experience of working in biomedical sciences discipline and apply the optical engineering ideas of physical sciences to medical sciences effectively, and to build a digital/electronic holographic video microscopy system. It is expected that the hopping will significantly promote new interactions between groups of Optical Engineering and Medical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.
Technical Summary
Visualizing cell movement in three-dimension within living tissues is a key, but frequently missing link between the wealth of cell behavioral information available from 2 dimensional cultures and in vivo physiology and pathology. I propose to combine the expertise in digital holography in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences and that in cell movement in the School of Medical Sciences at University of Aberdeen. The optical engineering group in Aberdeen has more than 25 years experience in optical engineering and is one of the leading groups in the world specializing in holographic imaging for biological particles and have built one of the most advanced electronic holographic camera. The Biomedical Sciences Group has more than ten years experience in cell migration studies and have recently made a significant contribution in understanding cell movement in wound healing.
I will hop from optical engineering group to the medical science group, aiming to (1) to allow me, from optical engineering discipline to gain extensive experience of working in medical science discipline; (2) build a digital/electronic holographic video microscopy system. I am confident of develop a unique and successful career combining expertise in optical engineering and biomedical research. The holographic video imaging system I propose to build will be a novel approach to visualize cell movement in 3D in vitro and in vivo, including fast cell movement, such as those in the blood stream, which is not currently possible at high resolution. I expect that my hopping will significantly promote new interactions between groups of engineering and biomedical sciences at the University of Aberdeen.
I will hop from optical engineering group to the medical science group, aiming to (1) to allow me, from optical engineering discipline to gain extensive experience of working in medical science discipline; (2) build a digital/electronic holographic video microscopy system. I am confident of develop a unique and successful career combining expertise in optical engineering and biomedical research. The holographic video imaging system I propose to build will be a novel approach to visualize cell movement in 3D in vitro and in vivo, including fast cell movement, such as those in the blood stream, which is not currently possible at high resolution. I expect that my hopping will significantly promote new interactions between groups of engineering and biomedical sciences at the University of Aberdeen.