The goal of this proposal is to investigate Brillouin scattering for probing the mechanical properties of biological samples. The ability to measure the elasticity of tissue and biomaterial in vivo at high spatial resolution would have a wide range of biomedical applications. However, conventional mechanical tests are not well suited for in vivo measurements, and other techniques, such as ultrasound and elastography, offer a limited spatial resolution. Recently, the PI has demonstrated the potential of Brillouin spectroscopy for non-invasive high-resolution measurement and imaging of viscoelasticity. This project aims to further develop the instrument, test the technology in tissues and cells, and study the fundamental characteristics of Brillouin scattering of nano-materials for biomedical applications. Intellectual Merits Although Brillouin spectroscopy has long been known, its application to in vivo biomechanical analysis has never been explored. The scientific merits of this project is that it allows the following: (1) to extend the Brillouin technique from traditional point-sampling spectroscopy to a novel biomechanical imaging modality, (2) to understand the fundamentals and specifics of Brillouin scattering in various tissues, cells, and nano-materials, and (3) to demonstrate the ability to characterize the elasticity of crystalline lens. Broader impacts This project invites multidisciplinary efforts and innovations to make broad impacts across many disciplines, from physics and biophotonic imaging to biomechanics. This provides an ideal opportunity to educate and train interdisciplinary graduate students and fellows in highly innovative and collaborative environments at Harvard Medical School. Undergraduate students enrolled in the Harvard-MIT HST Summer Institute for Biomedical Optics and internship will be given an opportunity to participate in this project. Successful clinical implementation of Brillouin imaging may enable early diagnosis and monitoring of intervention in a variety of ocular problems such as cataract.
