Deep Tissue Short-Wave Infrared Multiphoton Microscopy

This team will undertake a multifaceted development program to raise the performance of infrared fluorophores to the level of their visible counterparts, combining optical techniques for novel excitation schemes with the creation of innovative new dyes. The project will pioneer short-wave infrared multiphoton microscopy using novel excitation schemes of custom fluorophores, boosting the brightness of infrared fluorophores by up to two orders of magnitude.

To increase resolution and depth, the team will create new dyes with the enhanced photophysical properties necessary for multiphoton excitation and red-shifting. As a proof of concept, they will rapidly image subcellular features through the skin and skull of a mouse, transforming intravital microscopy into a non-invasive technology. Windowless multiphoton SWIR live animal imaging will expand the scope of organs and tissues that can be imaged, and will be particularly powerful when combined with calcium, pH, and voltage-sensitive infrared dyes.