Directed Electromagnetic Perturbation and Quantum Biological Effects in Retinal Cells and Networks using Coherent Control of Femtosecond Optical Pulses
Abstract
Advances in optical science and engineering have enabled the generation and control of “tailored light”, or pulses of directed electromagnetic radiation in the visible and near-infrared optical spectrum that can be temporally, spectrally, and spatially shaped on the femtosecond time-scale (10-100 fs) and be used to electromagnetically and noninvasively perturb biological systems to investigate new quantum biological effects. The human retina consists of a complex network of photo-sensitive cells driven by light to produce a coordinated set of neural electrical and chemical signals. The fundamental understanding of the light transduction process, and how humans perceive and respond to these optical signals, remains poorly understood, particularly the fundamental photo-physics and quantum biological processes from ultrashort light pulses. Therefore, the research objective of this project is to further the understanding of how photosensitive cells in the mammalian retina respond to these new forms of tailored light, and whether optical control of these light pulses can subsequently control the electrical and functional properties of these cells. The research will be accomplished using a novel optical stimulation and imaging system that can not only control and shape the incident light pulses, but also image and measure the optical properties and changes of individual retinal ganglion cells and photoreceptors in the living retinas of mice using computational adaptive optics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2018
- Source ID
- FA95501710387
Entities
People
- Stephen A. Boppart
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign