Optical Imaging News and Research

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Researchers demonstrate a way to control excitation and contraction in cardiac muscle cells

By employing optogenetics, a new field that uses genetically altered cells to respond to light, and a tandem unit cell (TCU) strategy, researchers at Stony Brook University have demonstrated a way to control cell excitation and contraction in cardiac muscle cells, the details of which are published in the early online edition of Circulation: Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology: "Stimulating Cardiac Muscle by Light: Cardiac Optogenetics by Cell Delivery."

19 Aug 2011

Optical coherence tomography can distinguish between high and low risk pancreatic cysts

A team of researchers from four Boston-area institutions led by Nicusor Iftimia from Physical Sciences, Inc. has demonstrated for the first time that optical coherence tomography (OCT), a high resolution optical imaging technique that works by bouncing near-infrared laser light off biological tissue, can reliably distinguish between pancreatic cysts that are low-risk and high-risk for becoming malignant.

18 Aug 2011

Renowned neurosurgeon to receive National Urban League's highest honor on July 30

Renowned neurosurgeon Keith L. Black, MD, will receive the National Urban League's highest honor on July 30 during the organization's annual conference in Boston.

22 Jul 2011

FDA approves Cornell Dots for first-in-human clinical trial for treatment of cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first clinical trial in humans of a new technology: Cornell Dots, brightly glowing nanoparticles that can light up cancer cells in PET-optical imaging.

14 Jun 2011

Scientists link increase of calcium influx in brain neurons to long-term memory

Using advanced imaging technology, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a change in chemical influx into a specific set of neurons in the common fruit fly that is fundamental to long-term memory.

15 Apr 2011

Caliper introduces novel fluorescent imaging agent for pre-clinical research

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery, life sciences research and molecular diagnostics, today announced the launch of XenoLight RediJect COX-2 Probe, a novel fluorescent imaging agent for pre-clinical research that specifically detects the cyclooxygenase-2 biomarker noninvasively in live animal models as well as in ex vivo tissue analysis applications.

5 Apr 2011

Tips on neurobiology of learning

Everyone would like MDs to have the best education - and to absorb what they are taught. The lead article in the April 4 issue of the journal Academic Medicine connects research on how the brain learns to how to incorporate this understanding into real world education, particularly the education of doctors.

31 Mar 2011

VisualSonics introduces Vevo LAZR system to advance cancer research

VisualSonics Inc., a leader in real-time, in vivo, high-resolution micro-imaging systems and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SonoSite Inc., today announced the launch of the Vevo LAZR Photoacoustics Imaging system for the advancement of cancer research in the pre-clinical imaging market.

25 Mar 2011

Imaging with voltage-sensitive dye captures real-time brain dynamics

The dye incorporates in the brain cells' membrane and changes fluorescence whenever these receive or send electrical signals. Hence, high resolution camera systems allow to simultaneously capture activities of millions of nerve cells across several square millimeters across the brain.

24 Mar 2011

Contrast agent for tumor diagnostics

X-rays are not the only way: visible and especially infrared light can also be used to image human tissue. The effectiveness of optical imaging processes can be significantly improved with suitable dyes used as contrast agents. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team led by Wenbin Lin at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, USA) has now introduced a novel contrast agent that marks tumor cells in vitro. The dye is a phosphorescent ruthenium complex incorporated into nanoparticles of a metal–organic coordination polymer, which allows an extraordinarily high level of dye loading.

23 Mar 2011

InfraReDx to showcase LipiScan IVUS Coronary Imaging System at CRT 2011

InfraReDx, Inc., a medical device company providing intelligent cardiovascular diagnostic imaging technologies, today announced that its LipiScan™ IVUS Coronary Imaging System will be featured in several presentations during the annual Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) 2011 meeting, being held February 27 through March 1, 2011 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

24 Feb 2011

Guide star and time-reversal mirror in biomedical imaging

Astronomers have a neat trick they sometimes use to compensate for the turbulence of the atmosphere that blurs images made by ground-based telescopes. They create an artificial star called a guide star and use its twinkling to compensate for the atmospheric turbulence.

11 Feb 2011

UCLA imaging system could help reveal 'miscommunications' in autism, schizophrenia

Some disorders of the brain are obvious - the massive death of brain cells after a stroke, the explosion in the growth of cells that marks a tumor. Other disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia and mental retardation show no physical signs of damage and are believed to be caused by problems in how brain cells communicate with one another.

13 Jan 2011

Removal of ZIP proteins from hippocampus cell protects them from injury

Researchers in the Blue Bird Circle Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory in the department of neurology at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that zinc enters cells through specialized protein gates known as ZIP transporters, and removing these ZIP proteins from cells in the hippocampus significantly protects them from injury.

5 Jan 2011

RPCI forms Photolitec to develop photosensitizing compounds used in photodynamic therapy

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) on December 13, 2010, announced the formation of Photolitec, LLC, a new life-sciences company at RPCI that will develop photosensitizing compounds used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is an innovative cancer treatment pioneered at RPCI by scientist Thomas J. Dougherty, Chief Emeritus of the Institute's Photodynamic Therapy Center.

15 Dec 2010

NinePoint enters IP licensing agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital

NinePoint Medical, Inc., an emerging leader in the development of in vivo pathology medical devices, today announced it has entered into an intellectual property (IP) licensing agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Under the agreement, NinePoint has certain exclusive rights in multiple fields to 188 patents and patent applications owned by MGH.

13 Dec 2010

Tomophase receives FDA 510(k) clearance to market Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging System

Tomophase Corporation, developer of the non-invasive Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging System (OCTIS™) and other devices, announced today that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance to market OCTIS.

10 Dec 2010

Caliper to acquire CRi for $20.0 million

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., a leading provider of products and services for drug discovery research, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc. (CRi) for approximately $20.0 million, including net debt. CRi's patented preclinical and tissue-based multiplexed analysis systems will expand Caliper's life sciences tools portfolio, particularly as it bridges into clinical research, pathology and clinical market applications.

10 Dec 2010

biOasis commences research agreement with NRC

biOasis Technologies Inc. announced today that it has commenced a sponsored research agreement with the National Research Council of Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, the NRC will evaluate the ability of biOasis' compounds to cross the blood-brain barrier using time-domain in vivo optical imaging.

30 Nov 2010

Researchers use near-infrared spectroscopy to study facial expressions in infants

Japanese research group led by Prof. Ryusuke Kakigi and Dr. Emi Nakato (National Institute for Physiological Sciences: NIPS) and Prof. Masami K Yamaguchi (Chuo University) found that the hemispheric differences in the temporal area overlying superior temporal sulcus (STS) when processing positive (happy) and negative (angry) facial expressions in infants.

9 Nov 2010