JFI Closs Lecture: Wei Min (University of Columbia)

3:45–4:45 pm GCIS W301/W303

Chemical Imaging for Biomedicine: the Next Frontier of Light Microscopy

Abstract:

Innovations in light microscopy have revolutionized modern biomedical research. Although fluorescence microscopy is currently the method of choice for bio-imaging, it faces several fundamental limitations including the bulky fluorescent tags, limited ability for probing in vivo metabolism, and the “color barrier” for multiplex imaging. In this seminar I will present a vibrational imaging technology that is able to address these challenges all together. First, we devised a Bioorthogonal Chemical Imaging for probing small bio-molecules by coupling stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy with tiny vibrational probes. Biomedical applications such as imaging fatty acid metabolism, glucose uptake, drug trafficking, protein synthesis, DNA replication, and tumor metabolism will be presented. Second, we introduced DO-SRS that combines deuterium oxide (D2O) probing with SRS microscopy to image in situ metabolic activities in animals with high resolution and chemical specify. DO-SRS, being noninvasive and universally applicable, can be adapted to a broad range of systems to study development, aging, and tumor heterogeneity. Third, we invented a super-multiplex imaging technique to map a large number of targets in cells and tissues. Novel nonlinear spectroscopy is developed to reach single molecule sensitivity with vibrational contrast, and rainbow-like imaging probes are designed and synthesized. This super-multiplex approach promises to facilitate untangling intricate interactions in complex biological systems.

Event Type

JFI

Apr 26