Ampli-sCiSsoRS: amplified backscattering coherent Stokes Raman scattering for real-time cancer diagnostics

Objectif

Coherent Raman imaging can provide rapid, label-free virtual histology, but its clinical translation is constrained by detection geometry and detector noise. Standard stimulated Raman scattering relies on forward detection, which is poorly suited to thick, highly scattering tissue and therefore limits intraoperative implementations. In our ERC-funded research, we introduced backscattering coherent Stokes Raman scattering (b-CSRS), a coherent Raman modality whose red-shifted emission enables epi detection and is compatible with laser scanning and spectrally resolved acquisition. However, current b-CSRS detection is limited by detector noise, preventing shot-noise-limited, high-speed imaging and spectroscopy.

This Proof-of-Concept will remove that bottleneck by developing a compact, low-noise amplified readout strategy for b-CSRS, enabling improved sensitivity, speed, and spectral fidelity in detector-friendly operating regimes. The project will deliver an alignment-robust readout module compatible with laser-scanning microscopes, quantitative benchmarks against current direct detection approaches, and a validated route toward parallel, multi-channel spectroscopic b-CSRS for tissue classification. Together, these advances will transform b-CSRS from a promising laboratory method into a scalable platform for real-time molecular tissue assessment.