Abstract:

The rapid growth in laser and photonic technology has resulted in the emergence of a new discipline known as biomedical optics which is providing powerful optical technologies for the advancement of human health and for the study of complex living systems on all scales, from single molecules to whole organs.

In this talk, I will present recent developments in biomedical optics, focusing on biological light nano-metrology and medical laser diagnostics. The first part of the talk will describe two novel technologies for the study of the structure and function of the bioworld at the molecular level. I will demonstrate the application of these technologies to key measurement problems in biology, such as the assessment of molecular lengths in three-dimensions and the rapid visualization of plasmids.

In the second part of the talk, I will present an intriguing photonic approach for tissue analysis and rheology. In particular, I will show how the detection and analysis of laser light back-scattered off atheromatous plaques and blood tissue provide a simple yet powerful diagnostic platform for human diseases such as atherosclerosis.