Compact ultrafast laser for biomedical imaging applications

Microscopes are widely used in biomedical research and use sophisticated techniques to probe biological tissue in fine detail. They give medical practitioners the insight into tissue samples to enable them to come to rapid and accurate diagnoses of medical conditions. A technique finding increasing use in microscopes is that of using a pulsed laser to illuminate the tissue sample. A fluorescent dye is injected into the tissue and acts as a “marker”; this means that it adheres to specific biological molecules and “lights up” when illuminated, thus revealing the
position of the molecules of interest. Pulses of laser light are used to “excite” the dye, causing it to fluoresce, and, as these lasers can be tightly focussed, they enable pinpoint location of the molecules of interest. Typically, the laser sources used in this technique are large, expensive and complex pieces of apparatus, which can only be operated by highly, trained staff. What we propose to do is to develop a prototype laser system that delivers equivalent pulses of light at a fraction of the cost, in a package a fraction of the size, and in a form, which can be operated without any need for user intervention. M Squared brings to this field its existing track-record in commercialisation of robust, small-footprint, “hands-free” laser systems for
industrial and research applications. We expect to make a significant impact on the market for biomedical research instrumentation; specifically, we aim to produce a small, inexpensive, and easy-to-use prototype laser system, which will displace the large, expensive, and complex systems that are currently in use. In doing so, we hope to make this powerful technology more affordable and accessible to a greater number of researchers and biomedical practitioners, and so improve the quality and international reach of biomedical research carried out in the UK.