Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/R019274/1
Title:	Ultrathin fluorescence microscope in a needle
Principal Investigator:	Hughes, Dr M
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Imperial College London
Department:	Sch of Physical Sciences
Organisation:	University of Kent
Scheme:	First Grant - Revised 2009
Starts:	01 April 2018	Ends:	30 June 2019	Value (£):	100,790
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Med.Instrument.Device& Equip.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 06 Dec 2017 Engineering Prioritisation Panel Meeting 6 December 2017 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Optical biopsy techniques allow high-resolution images of human tissue to be obtained in real time, without the need for invasive biopsy and histology. A common approach to optical biopsy is fluorescence endomicroscopy, whereby a flexible probe containing a fibre imaging bundle obtains video-rate images from fluorescently-labelled tissue. However, these probes only allow the most superficial tissue layers to be imaged. More recently, there has been interest in incorporating fluorescence microscopy probes into needles which could penetrate below the surface of organs, thus allowing deep-tissue imaging. However, there is currently a severe trade-off between the quality of the images (in terms of image size and resolution) and the diameter of the needle probe. In this project, a new approach for incorporating a microscope into a needle will be developed. Like conventional endomicroscopes, the needle will use a fibre imaging bundle to transmit images. However, in order to obtain higher quality images, the resolution limits of these bundles will be overcome. Conventionally, each fibre in a fibre bundle transmits only one 'pixel' of information. The new imaging system will exploit the fact that additional information can be encoded within the multiple modes of light propagation which each fibre core supports. Unlike most previous approaches which have sought to exploit fibre modes as information channels, no complex holographic reconstructions or wave-shaping using spatial light modulators will be required. Instead, an approach similar to single-pixel imaging will allow high-speed reconstruction of wide-field or optically-sectioned fluorescence images following a simple calibration procedure.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.kent.ac.uk