What is the problem/issue being addressed?
As the routinely used method to identify biological processes (optical microscopy) is incapable of imaging nano-scale objects, it is extremely limited in unraveling mechanisms at this scale. However, as emphasized by the most recent Nobel Prize (medicine 2019), understanding the detailed mechanisms
e.g. in the human body is key to develop new therapies, capable of effectively fighting diseases such as cancer. Our technology enables researchers to visualize those mechanisms in real-time, increasing our understanding of biological pathways. As a result, this will enable us in the future to manipulate such
pathways which in addition to improved diagnostics will result in new therapies.
Current state of the art:
In general, microscopy and in particular fluorescence microscopy is diffraction limited as a result of the wave nature of light. Mathematically speaking, imaging in the far field does not preserve the high frequency
spatial components in the transmitted light and therefore is losing information. Abbe calculated the diffraction limit (subject to assumptions regarding the criteria for optical resolution) to be of the order of 200 nm for visible light.
This barrier remained in place for roughly a century (despite suggestions to overcome this limit by E.H. Synge in the 1930s), and practically barred optical microscopy and related techniques to identify objects at the nanoscale.
In 2014, the Nobel prize for chemistry was awarded to three researchers (S. Hell, E. Betzig, and E. Moerner) for the innovation of novel methods which overcome the diffraction limit namely the deterministic STED, and the stochastic PALM/STORM.
Advancing the current state of the art:
In contrast, PEAR offers a highly innovative solution that goes beyond the current state of the art. It will enable real-time nano imaging of cancer cells and drug interactions, which is currently unavailable but demanded by cancer researchers as a key technology:
As our innovation is already providing spatial resolutions below most other super resolution techniques at its current stage, but as its ultimate resolution scales with the size of the sub-structures embedded on the optical chip, combined with the ongoing improvements in lithography, it is envisagedthat PEAR Nanoscopy can be scaled down routinely to below 10 nm spatial resolution. This is unique for a deterministic, label-free imaging technology.
Why is it important for society?
This novel disruptive imaging technology will be instrumental in early detection and development of next generation therapies for cancer.
Cancer is the biggest killer in Europe, accounting for e.g. over 9,000 deaths (~30% of deaths – one person every hour) every year in Ireland alone. Globally, cancer was responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018.
What are the overall objectives?
We present an entirely novel and IP protected method enabling video-rate nano-scale imaging. PEAR is an acronym and stands for Plasmonic Electronic Addressable Super-Resolution.
