Noninvasive 3-D optical quantitative imaging of engineered tissue

This project will bring interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy (ISAM), a powerful new method of computed microscopy, to bear on the problem of quantitative tissue assessment. The promise of tissue engineering, including wound healing, is limited unless the tissue is treated correctly at optimal times during growth. Therefore, continuous, nondestructive, microscopic 3-D visualization and quantification is critical. Diagnostic Photonics is developing a system for surgical guidance and assessment of tumors using ISAM. There is a synergistic opportunity to apply ISAM to assess tissue in vitro. This project will demonstrate ISAM for 3-D visualization and non-destructive assessment of tissue. Commercially-procured tissue will be imaged using DxP"s prototype demonstrating the use of ISAM to quantitatively assess resolution and depth of penetration. Designs for integration of the probe with a bioreactor will be produced. This will allow rapid progress early in Phase II to introduce ISAM into an engineered tissue lab. A demonstration of the instrument will be provided for DoD assessment. In Phase II, ISAM will be applied in vitro to the imaging of engineered tissue in a laboratory where time evolution of growing tissues will be investigated by producing 4-D images. The microscope probe will be added to a working bioreactor.