A Revolutionary New Type of 2-Photon Microscope, that Focuses and Scans the Laser Beam in 3D Space
We have designed and built a prototype of a revolutionary new type of 2-photon microscope. Many important, yet poorly understood processes in biology, such as electrical signalling in neural circuits, are rapid and are distributed in 3D space. Such processes are impossible to monitor with conventional optical methods which are 100-fold too slow. Our new prototype laser scanner, can not only focus and scan the laser beam in 3D space, but offers a 300 fold increase to focusing time.
| Date added | 25 Jan 2008 |
|---|---|
| Reference number | 41-006 |
| Status | Several patents have been filed around this technology |
| Availability | Licensing |
| References | [Blank] |
The technology and its advantages
Conventional optical microscopes are designed for imaging in a single focal plane(X-Y) and focusing is intrinsically slow because it involves physically moving the objective lens. Our prototype laser scanner uses 4 acousto-optic deflectors (AOD) to both focus and scan the laser beam in 3D space. Because this AOD based ‘lensing’ is induced by ultrasonic sound waves crossing the AOD crystals, and does not involve moving a mass, focusing is 300-fold faster than current piezoelectric focusing methods. This new generic technology, which allows rapid (30 kHz) interrogation of any series of points within a biologically relevant 3D volume, or rapid raster scanning in any plane in XYZ, is potentially applicable to a wide range of applications. These include:
• Monitoring the activity of populations of neurons located in different focal planes at high temporal resolution
• High speed imaging of subcellular processes (e.g. voltage or calcium) in regions of neurons projecting in any plane
• Photolysis of biologically active ‘caged’ compounds at multiple locations in 3D within 1 ms
• High speed fabrication of 3D microstructures (e.g. for photonic devices and bioscaffolds for drug delivery) using 2-photon photolithography
A high speed 3D 2-photon microscope will have a large impact on many neuroscience research fields because it will have important applications at the sub-cellular, cellular and network levels. Our development of a high speed 3D microscope is timely because it will allow the massive explosion of genetically engineered optical probes to be fully utilized. Indeed, there is widespread realization that neural network research is the future in neuroscience. Combining genetic and optical methods for studying neural networks in health and in neurological disorders (epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia, depression etc) are key 10 year aims for new cutting edge research centers including the Howard Hughes Janelia Farm in the USA and the planned Neurobiology centre at the LMB in Cambridge UK. We are therefore not alone in believing that the development of a 3D 2-photon microscopy together with new molecular/genetic approaches for optically monitoring and manipulating neuronal activity, will radically improve the techniques available for studying brain function in health and disease.
Market opportunity
Since the 3D 2-photon scanner can simply be added onto galvanometer based 2-photon microscopes, it can tap into the market of existing 2-photon microscopes. There is also a large potential market for microfabrication and nanotechnology.
Further information
Please contact Dr. Abigail Watts, UCL Business PLC
T +44 (0)20 7679 9000 E a.watts@uclb.com
