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Developing a Mathematical Model for Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging of Biological Processes in Living Cells

Project Type: 
PDF-led

This project seeks to build a mathematical model of CARS imaging based on results of numerical simulations that will allow for the first time to reliably interpret the CARS images in cells.

Project Leader(s): 

Postdoctoral fellow: Dr. Konstantin Popov, Physics, University of Ottawa

Lead faculty member: Dr. Lora Ramunno, Physics, University of Ottawa

Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy is a very promising method of directly imaging biological processes occurring in living cells. It is unique because the imaging does not harm the cell, is molecule specific, and does not require the introduction of additional chemicals that may alter the biology. For example, CARS would allow us to visualize how viruses invade a cell membrane, which is still a mystery.

The first steps towards commercialization have been undertaken by collaborators at the National Research Council and Olympus. However, there is no detailed mathematical model that describes how CARS images are created in these complex systems. This is critical to understanding what the image actually tells you about the sub-cellular objects under study. I propose to build a mathematical model of CARS imaging based on results of numerical simulations that will allow us for the first time to reliably interpret the CARS images in cells.