Fast Electro-Optic Fluorescence Lifetime Microscopy (EOFLIM) for super-resolution microscopy and brain surgery.

Project Information

EOFLIM

Grant agreement ID: 101069260

DOI

10.3030/101069260

Project closed

EC signature date 30 June 2022

Start date 1 July 2022

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 150 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITAT WIEN
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EOFLIM (Fast Electro-Optic Fluorescence Lifetime Microscopy (EOFLIM) for super-resolution microscopy and brain surgery.)

Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a powerful method for monitoring physicochemical parameters of cells and tissues, as well as biomolecular interactions, with applications in science, medicine, and industry.

Its use is often limited due to technological constraints regarding frame rate and sensitivity: Most commercial solutions are based on Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting detectors, which offer low noise, but require a scanning approach to imaging, which is slow. Recently, various wide-field detectors have come up, which offer high speed, but lack sensitivity or quantum efficiency.

The limitations mentioned above can be overcome using our unique solution of utilizing electro-optic modulators for full-field temporal gating (EOFLIM). This gating method is compatible with low-noise, highly efficient state-of-the-art camera technology, enabling single molecule sensitivity and high frame rates. We will use this new technology to realize fast superresolution fluorescence lifetime imaging, and will explore EOFLIM in the context of surgical guidance technology.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

We have optimized our setup to reach aberration-free performance compatible with super-resolution microscopy.

We have set up a working super-resolution FLIM system.

We have adapted our setup for experiments testing our system in the context of tumor detection for surgical guidance.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Our superresolution FLIM setup shows a unique combination of spatio-temporal bandwidth and low noise. We could use our setup on various cellular samples, demonstrating super-resolution, live-cell compatability, as well as lifetime-based sensing and multiplexing.