Instrumentation Platform for Imaging Cell Membrane Dynamics
Abstract
High precision external neuromodulation can advance treatment methods for neurological andneuro-degenerative diseases, neuropsychological illnesses (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder),pain management or restoring key nerve function. Thus, modulating neuronal activity can providea pathway to restore functional response in injured military personnel, to advance warfighters’recovery processes or to optimize performance during active line of duty where high alertnesslevels over longer timespans are required. However, in order to advance the scientific developmentand technology progress for external nerve stimulation technology, the biophysical mechanismsduring infrared nerve stimulation and other external neuromodulation schemes need to be betterunderstood. Thus, there is a need to resolve the structure and dynamics of the cell membrane duringdifferent neurostimulation challenges when selective permeability leading to action potentials arerecorded.In this DURIP grant, the acquisition of equipment for microscopy from visible to infraredwavelengths in one imaging platform is proposed, thus combining fluorescence imaging in aninverted microscope with infrared vibrational spectroscopy. This allows detection of fluorescentlylabeled probes in biological specimens, identification of label-free bond-specific inherent spectralsignatures, characterization of phase transitions and of the underlying structural order ofmolecules. The requested instrumentation consists of tunable laser sources for spectroscopy andcombines them with near-infrared and visible imaging modalities in an inverted microscope. Witha lock-in, temporal dynamics can be resolved with high signal-to-noise.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 11, 2018
- Source ID
- FA95501810348
Entities
People
- Michelle Y Sander
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Boston University
- United States Air Force