Rosario Porras-Aguilar (UNC Charlotte)

Date: Mon. April 3rd, 2023, 12:45 pm-1:45 pm
Location: Rock 221 (Foldy) & Zoom
Website: https://pages.charlotte.edu/porrasaguilarresearch/

Title: Non-invasive and Quantitative Phase Microscopy

Abstract: Image contrast is critical to many fields, such as microbiology, which studies biological samples that can be as tiny and thin as a single cell. A significant problem in visualizing cells is that they are nearly transparent (phase objects), making them difficult to observe using conventional microscopes. Approaches to image biological objects require the samples to be stained and thereby converted to an amplitude object. However, staining has plenty of drawbacks: 1) it is invasive because staining chemicals may alter the structure of the object being studied; 2) sample preparation is time-consuming and requires experienced personnel to perform it; 3) staining chemicals typically have a limited duration of efficacy (minutes), and 4) identifying the appropriate fluorophore to enhance a specific area of interest requires years of research. One more critical requirement in imaging living organisms is that low illumination intensities are needed to avoid damaging the sample.

In this talk, we will discuss our approaches to quantitative phase microscopy. This technique provides not only contrast, but it also monitors and measures changes in transparent and microscopic objects in space and time. In addition to being precise and fast, this technique is an alternative to non-invasive 3D quantitative microscopy as it requires very low-intensity illumination.

Host: Lydia Kisley