As a result of recent breakthroughs in commercial laser technology, we are requesting a femtosecond pulsed laser source for 3-photon excitation and ultra-deep in vivo imaging. This laser will be integrated into a custom-built microscope that is equipped with adaptive optics and made available to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center as part of a new initiative to increase access to advanced imaging technologies. To our knowledge, no 3-photon microscope is publicly available in the United States. Acquisition of the laser will immediately benefit 5 NIH supported laboratories at UT Southwestern, with applications including in vivo imaging of cancer niches and neuronal circuitry.
Fluorescence microscopy is the method of choice for quantitatively evaluating cellular behaviors, but its application in vivo is largely hampered by optical distortions, light scattering, and light absorption. However, many of these challenges can be mitigated by moving to longer excitation wavelengths and nonlinear imaging modalities, which are now possible due to recent advances in laser technology. As such, we are requesting a new laser source that will be made available to scientists throughout UT Southwestern Medical Center as part of a new Advanced Imaging Initiative that will permit leading scientists to evaluate complex neuronal circuits and cancer populations deep within living animals.
