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During the past decade, there has been an explosion in the development of novel optical techniques in biomedical research and clinical applications. Immense progresses have been made in optical imaging and detection to provide necessary biological information for disease diagnosis and in-depth understanding of the biological processes. Moreover, recent advances integrating laser technology with biomaterials and nanotechnology have enabled novel diagnostic and treatment approaches for different types of diseases.
This special issue aims to report the latest advances in biomedical optics, including but not limited to innovative approaches for imaging and detecting molecules, organelles, cells, organs and biological processes, potential applications in disease diagnosis and treatment, and new findings in biomedical research.
1700 nm optical coherence microscopy images neurons and axonal myelination across the mouse neocortex and some sub-cortical regions, based on intrinsic tissue contrast, with minimal invasiveness.
Moderate light absorption by bio-tissue is conducive to the imaging performance. The second near-infrared window is perfected as 900–1880 nm, and 2080–2340 nm is proposed as the third near-infrared window.
Mirror-enhanced scanning light-field microscopy (MiSLFM) achieves long-term high-speed 3D imaging at near-isotropic subcellular resolution with a single objective, facilitating native observations of various intracellular and intercellular interactions.
A smart-scanning fluorescence microscope adapts its scanning scheme to the curved surface of embryonic cell sheets. This results in a considerable reduction in light dose without deterioration of the images.
The performance of novel transmissive-detected LSCI was systematically demonstrated through simulation and experiments. With such a simple system, individual vessel-resolution blood flow mapping and monitoring were realized on human hand.
The review focuses on methodologies and biomedical applications of polarisation optics. It also presents prospects on development trends, the potential multi-modal uses in conjunction with other techniques.
An optical fiber biosensor displaying superfine plasmonic spectral combs and enhanced by conjugate-induced amplification enables the detection of environmental estrogens down to pg/mL estradiol equivalent concentration level.
We reported a newly engineered photosensitizer of polymer encapsulated carbonized hemin nanoparticles (P-CHNPs) via a facile synthesis procedure for boosting photodynamic therapy (PDT). The synthesized P-CHNPs achieved enhanced oxidative stress in tumor microenvironment, which could be further amplified under light irradiation, enabling excellent in vitro and in vivo PDT effects. Moreover, the superior in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility and boosted PDT effect make the P-CHNPs a potential therapeutic agent for future translational research.
An all-fiber based endoscopic probe using a double-core double-clad fiber demonstrates the potential for nonlinear imaging applications such as image-guided surgery and in vivo diagnostics.
Standardized imaging protocols, data analysis methods, reporting of metrics and trial outcome measures will enhance the impact of OCTA on improving retinal healthcare.