Label-Free Multiphoton Microcopy Advances Clinical Skin Imaging
Presented by:
Mihaela Balu, University of California, IrvineMultiphoton microscopy (MPM) is widely used for generating high-resolution 3D maps of tissue molecular compounds. Initially limited to research labs for basic biology studies and small animal imaging, MPM has been introduced as a tool for non-invasive imaging of human skin in clinical settings. MPM visualizes the cellular and molecular architecture of skin using intrinsic sources of molecular contrast, such as two-photon excited fluorescence from melanin, keratin, NAD(P)H/FAD and elastin. Collagen detection is based on the second harmonic generation signal from collagen fibers.
Researchers have demonstrated the strong potential of MPM imaging for a wide range of applications, from advancing the understanding of skin biology to the non-invasive diagnosis of skin diseases and monitoring therapy effects. The team at University of California, Irvine has developed the fast large area multiphoton exoscope (FLAME), which rapidly maps macroscopic tissue areas (mm to cm) with microscopic resolution (0.5-1 µm) and enhanced chemical contrast for selective melanin detection.
About the presenter
Mihaela Balu, Ph.D., earned her doctorate in optics from the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL), University of Central Florida, training in the development of experimental techniques for nonlinear material characterization. In 2007, she joined Bruce Tromberg’s nonlinear optical microscopy group at the Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, as postdoctoral scholar, focusing on integrating and advancing modern biophotonics technologies, such as nonlinear optical microscopy, in clinical settings.
In 2024, she joined the Department of Dermatology at UC Irvine as an associate professor and was recently awarded the School of Medicine mid-career award for her groundbreaking achievements in clinical research. Her team’s research is supported by multi-million-dollar funding from federal agencies, including the NIH and DoD, as well as pharmaceutical companies.
About the sponsor(s)- HÜBNER Photonics GmbH - Offers a full range of high-performance lasers and terahertz systems including Cobolt single- and multi-line lasers, C-WAVE tunable CW lasers, VALO femtosecond fiber lasers, Ampheia fiber amplifiers, C-FLEX laser combiners, and terahertz imagers and spectrometers.