The goal of this proposal is to develop, validate and apply models describing light-tissue interaction in the muscle tissue. A Monte Carlo model is proposed with validation sought using a hyperspectral imaging system. The model will be applied to detecting sarcomere length changes which is motivated by its impact on muscular diseases and its importance to the meat industry. Additional advancements include examining polarized light propagation and developing a multilayer model. These models enable the assessment of sarcomere length, which provides a valuable means for judging meat quality in meat industry. In the long-term, these models could also potentially have a high impact on clinical medicine, especially in the area of muscular diseases (aging, muscular dystrophy, etc). The education and outreach plan will explore student-centered active learning/teaching methodology, educating diverse student groups, and organizing summer research experiences.
Skeletal muscles contribute to 40% of total human weight and are responsible for many important physiological functions. In addition, skeletal muscle's striated relative, cardiac muscle is critical to life by controlling circulation under a myriad of physiological conditions. Equally important, meat, in the form of animal muscle, poultry, and fish are the most common sources of high protein food. In spite of the importance of such ‘striated’ muscle to human health and agriculture, we know very little on light transport in muscle that is essential for developing noninvasive optical techniques for muscle characterization. In this project we have conducted a comprehensive investigation of light propagation in striated muscles and other anisotropic tissues. Several mathematical and simulation models have been developed to understand light propagation in both single muscle fiber and whole muscle. In addition, we have developed a series of systems and technologies to measure and characterize muscle properties. Experimental results have shown that these novel technologies have great practical potential in both medicine and agriculture such as nondestructive characterization of beef tenderness and optical mapping of cardiac fiber architecture in heart. Moreover, this project provided key support for training next generation of interdisciplinary engineers and scientists who acquired solid knowledge, experience and skill in both optical imaging and muscle biology. Four Ph.D. students and one M.S. student have successfully completed their dissertation/thesis on this project, and several more undergraduate students participated in this research. The discoveries made by the investigator and his students have resulted in 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and multiple conference proceedings/abstracts. Furthermore this project has also enabled the investigator to develop problem-based teaching methodology/materials in his undergraduate teaching.
