Active-sensing Spectral Fluorescence Lifetime Imager (19a)

Plant metabolism is a key biological process that involves intricate physiological and chemical processes to synthesize and convert substances into energy. Fully understanding of the metabolic processes requires capable imaging technology to visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics and transport of key metabolites at the cellular and molecular levels. Nonetheless, plant biologists face a challenge in the absence of a practical, non-invasive, high-resolution imaging tool. While invasive and destructive techniques such as cryo- electron microscopy and mass spectroscopy are commonly employed in laboratory settings to probe biochemical processes in plants and microbial communities, their adaptability for field-based research and industrial applications is limited, thus restricting access to a broader scientific community. This significantly hinders studying metabolic processes to monitor plant development and health status, and their interaction with the microbial communities. A hyperspectral confocal fluorescence lifetime imager is proposed for non-destructive functional imaging of plant metabolism and microbial systems. It is designed to be deployed for the field-based assessment of the physiological and biochemical responses of plants and microbes. This imager can measure confocal optical sectioned and spectral discriminated fluorescence lifetime images of plants and microbes, which will provide important new information on the spatiotemporal distributions and dynamics of key metabolites and other functional biomolecules in biological cells. During the Phase I program, an alpha prototype of a hyperspectral confocal fluorescence lifetime imager will be designed, constructed, and characterized. Its feasibility for monitoring plant morphology and metabolic processes in real-time with various plant samples in situ and in vivo will be demonstrated. Based on the Phase I feedback from the plant biologist, a Phase II plan will be developed to design and manufacture a Phase II instrument for the evaluation of the metabolic processes in specific plant and microbial systems in collaboration with our academic partners. The Phase II instrument will be compact, low-cost, and suitable for field use, facilitating the real-time assessment of plant metabolism and the physiological and biochemical interactions between plants and microbes. This imager will enable plant biologists to conduct a wide range of advanced research investigations in the plant and microbial communities. The initial target customers will be academic researchers quickly followed by large agri-business and biofuel companies.