Real-time Assessment of Engineered Tissue Viability with Combined Raman SpectroscopyHigh Resolution Optical Imaging

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), proposes to investigate a multimodal optical imaging and spectroscopy approach for in vitro characterization of engineered tissue constructs. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging will be used for gross assessment of tissue morphology and birefringence properties, while reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and Raman spectroscopy will be used to visualize individual cells and assess their viability. Raman spectroscopy can determine biochemical changes related to cell death (e.g., breakdowns of the phosphodiester bonds and DNA bases), and monitor the interaction of cells with medium component. The complementary capabilities of these three optical technologies offers a comprehensive set of parameters for more reliable characterization of tissue constructs, particularly viability, cellular and tissue morphology, and matrix formation. In Phase I we will develop a bench-top instrument that will combine Raman, RCM, and OCT within the same optical layout. Preliminary testing of this instrument will be performed on soft tissue constructs. Based on Phase I conclusions, a prototype will be built during the Phase II study and extensively tested at MGH on several types of soft tissue constructs.