Descripción del proyecto
Estudio de las propiedades mecánicas de las células en tiempo real
Las células tienen propiedades mecánicas complejas que son importantes para sus funciones e interacciones con el entorno. Estas propiedades incluyen rigidez, elasticidad, viscosidad, adhesión y contractilidad, y pueden cambiar como respuesta a fuerzas mecánicas, señales bioquímicas y fisiopatologías. La microscopía de Brillouin es una técnica de obtención de imágenes que permite medir determinadas propiedades mecánicas de muestras biológicas y aportar información importante sobre sus estados fisiológicos y patológicos. El objetivo del proyecto IVBM-4PAP, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Innovación, es mejorar los tiempos de adquisición necesarios en la microscopía de Brillouin, ofreciendo así una valiosa herramienta para estudiar procesos biológicos en tiempo real e identificar estados patógenos de las células.
Objetivo
The role and importance of mechanical properties of cells and tissues in cellular function, development and disease has widely been
acknowledged, however standard techniques currently used to assess them exhibit intrinsic limitations (invasive, lack of 3D capability
and of sub-cellular resolution). Recently, Brillouin Microscopy (BM), a type of optical elastography, has emerged as a non-destructive,
label- and contact-free method that can probe the viscoelastic properties of biological samples with diffraction-limited resolution in
3D. This led to increased attention amongst the biological and medical research communities. However, due to the long acquisition
time (hours), this novel technique has been applied only to fixed samples. One important open challenge is to use this approach to
follow the mechano-biological processes in living cells and in real time. Aim of our project is overcome the spectral-imaging
acquisacknowledged, however standard techniques currently used to assess them exhibit intrinsic limitations (invasive, lack of 3D capability and of sub-cellular resolution). Recently, Brillouin Microscopy (BM), a type of optical elastography, has emerged as a non-destructive, label- and contact-free method that can probe the viscoelastic properties of biological samples with diffraction-limited resolution in 3D. This led to increased attention amongst the biological and medical research communities. However, due to the long acquisition time (hours), this novel technique has been applied only to fixed samples. One important open challenge is to use this approach to follow the mechano-biological processes in living cells and in real time. Aim of our project is overcome the spectral-imaging acquisition time limitation by applying the heterodyne detection scheme, allowing the collection of viscoelastic properties in living sample at a sub-second timescale. We will attempt solving specific physio-pathological open problems in biomedicine for the first time.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Convocatoria de propuestas
HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaRégimen de financiación
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinador
16163 Genova
Italia