Gao,Liang University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1652150
Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) has found broad applications in biomedicine because it delivers the most direct insight into the molecular interactions of a fluorophore (a fluorescent chemical compound that re-emits light upon light excitation) with its biological environment. This project will develop a potentially transformative FLIM system fast enough to see biological effects such as neuron spiking. A new optical design course for graduates, and development of a hands-on laboratory for both undergraduates and graduates are planned.
The three key tasks are to 1) develop a high-speed, depth-resolved FLIM imager using coded excitation and dual-camera detection; 2) develop a compressed spectral FLIM (sFLIM) system for multi-target fluorescence imaging; and 3) evaluate compressed FLIM and sFLIM against benchmark systems in several live cell imaging applications.
