FORTH is one of the largest research centres of Greece comprising of 7 Institutes, with a modern infrastructure and a broad range of research, development and educational activities, and research and technological focus centered on selected areas of great scientific, social, and economic interest. Two of FORTH’s Institutes participate in this proposal: a) The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and b) The Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser. Research emphases on the elucidation of basic life processes utilizing a wide spectrum of model organisms to focus on key biological problems elucidating the mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication, development, differentiation and ageing. Furthermore, research at FORTH is focused at developing key enabling technologies for microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic imaging and their application for biological and medical studies.
FORTH will focus on the integration of different modalities in one hybrid system appropriate for ocular high resolution imaging, combining linear and non-linear laser canning confocal microscopy with optoacoustic microscopy, including modern fast dynamic adaptive optics and wavefront shaping methods to correct for light diffusion. Furthermore, FORTH will employ advanced algorithms that can account for regions with different scattering and absorption properties, based on phase retrieval, and GPU implementation enabling fast real time dynamic imaging. FORTH leads WP1
he Technical University of Munich (TUM) is one of Germany’s top universities and is characterized by a unique profile with its core domains natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, and medicine. CBI is located at TRANSLATUM, which is dedicated in bringing engineering excellence to medicine. As such, TUM provides world-leading research expertise and infrastructure to DynAMic in particular in the fields of medical imaging / optoacoustics, stimulated Raman scattering and microscopy as well as clinical practice.
CBI at TUM will contribute with expertise in time and frequency domain optoacoustics, and implementation of adaptive MHz modulated Raman spectroscopic such as stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) methods into a microscope system.
CNRS “complex media optics lab” focuses on light propagation in complex media, where light is scattered in a very complex way, such as paint layers, paper, or biological tissues, multimode fibers. Multiple scattering of coherent light generates extremely complex interference patterns, called speckle. But despite the enormous complexity of the scattering process, we can exploit and control light propagation, in particular thanks to spatial light modulators and to advanced algorithms tools. Our approach is particularly interesting for imaging deep in tissues.
The CNRS “complex media optics lab” will focus on exploiting controllable speckle illumination, in combination with linear (fluorescence, spontaneous Raman) and non-linear (coherent Raman) contrast mechanisms, to achieve deep imaging in turbid biological media, with a focus on achieving diffraction-limited or better imaging.
The University of St Andrews is Scotland’s first university and the third oldest in the English speaking world, founded in 1413. Over six centuries it has established a reputation as one of Europe’s leading and most distinctive centres for teaching and research. The School of Physics and Astronomy has an internationally recognized and vibrant set of research programs in astrophysics, condensed-matter physics, and notably photonics. The Optical Manipulation Group (approximately 25 persons) currently has ten major laboratories across two suites, that include over ten dedicated stabilized optical tables and associated apparatus of microscopes, optomechanical items, light shaping technologies, over four light sheet microscope systems with studies in neuroscience and developmental biology.
USTAN will focus on implementing light sheet geometries and developing coherent Raman microscopy with wavefront shaping technologies, providing complimentary information spatially, spectrally, molecularly and functionally with unique contrast from depths and depth resolutions never achieved before. USTAN will also be involved in the optimization of high frequency modulated enhanced Raman scattering signals, a radical new approach, which when combined with structured coherent illumination enables sub-diffraction imaging with very high molecular and chemical specificity. USTAN leads WP2
The University of Tübingen is one of Germany’s 11 excellence universities and among Europe’s oldest universities. Tübingen’s University Clinic participates in numerous European projects. The Institute for Ophthalmic Research cooperates closely with the University Eye Hospital under the umbrella of the Centre for Ophthalmology. The Institute aims at uncovering the causes for degenerative, inflammatory, neoplastic, and vascular diseases of the eye and developing diagnostics and therapies based on these discoveries. Translational research is jointly performed with the University Eye Hospital Tuebingen. The Institute houses several scientific teams who offer a multifaceted portfolio of competencies including multi-omics approaches, optics and image processing, computational biology, patho-physiology and toxicology, neurophysiology, pre-clinical studies and clinical trials.
EKUT will focus on providing retinal specimen (animals) for ex-vivo imaging under the new system, analyzing spectral signatures in relation to proteomic knowledge and identifying molecules/proteins of interest for monitoring. Furthermore, it will steer molecular fingerprinting towards clinically related targets / questions and perform in-vivo imaging on animals. EKUT leads WP5
Rayfos expertise is based on more than a decade of R&D in sensing system design and the corresponding data analysis associated with large data processing operations, in particular large arrays of detectors such as image sensors. Rayfos is developing metrology software and OEM solutions based on optical sensors and systems featuring advanced real time data acquisition/signal processing and high speed, scalable computation architectures. The company designs and produces integrated system-level solutions based on state-of-the-art sensor technology, enhanced with advanced data acquisition and novel signal processing algorithms.
Rayfos will contribute the Dynamic mainly in two areas of engagement: a) Design, optimization and utilization of ultrafast adaptive optomechatronic components and development of advanced data acquisition subsystem for high-speed real time signal processing. b) Real-time image processing operations implemented in a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) using advanced OpenCL-based optimized kernels.
Imagine Optic, since more than 20 years, has developed, as a pioneer in the field of Adaptive Optics, a high expertise in designing and commercializing wavefront shaping and adaptive optics systems and appropriate software platforms, in particular both in microscopy (MicAO products) and in ophthalmology (through its sister company Imagine Eyes). This includes a large range of wavefront sensors, deformable mirrors and software solutions.
Imagine Optic will develop a next generation of deformable mirrors consisting of continuous membrane with typ. >100 actuators, operating at high speeds – targeting 1kHz, and providing large wavefront stroke, as a key component for adaptive optics (AO) enabling deep imaging between ballistic and diffuse regimes. Algorithms driving fast AO will be optimized for the targeted applications.