revolutionizing Microscopy: A 1,000-fold Speed boost

Researchers at EMBL have achieved a groundbreaking advancement in microscopy, significantly accelerating both speed and throughput in Brillouin microscopy.

Unlocking the Potential of Brillouin Scattering

Brillouin microscopy, based on the 1922 revelation by French physicist Léon Brillouin, exploits the interaction between light and thermal vibrations within a material. This interaction causes a slight shift in the frequency of scattered light, revealing details about the material’s physical characteristics. While the technique has been around since the early 2000s, its initial slowness limited its practical applications.

“We were on a quest to speed up image acquisition,” said Carlo Bevilacqua, lead author of a paper published in Nature Photonics and optical engineer in EMBL’s Prevedel Team.”Over the years, we have progressed from being able to see just a pixel at a time to a line of 100 pixels, to now a full plane that offers a view of approximately 10,000 pixels.”

From pixels to Planes: A Breakthrough in Imaging

Previous limitations involved analyzing only a single pixel at a time, making the process incredibly time-consuming. However, the EMBL team has now overcome this hurdle, expanding the field of view to encompass a full 2D plane. This technological leap facilitates significantly faster imaging,including 3D imaging,with minimal light intensity.

Expanding the Possibilities for Biological Research

“Just as the development of light-sheet microscopy here at EMBL marked a revolution in light microscopy because it allowed for faster, high-resolution, and minimally phototoxic imaging of biological samples, so too does this advance in the area of mechanical or Brillouin imaging,” said Robert Prevedel, Group Leader and senior author on the paper.”We hope this new technology — with minimal light intensity — opens one more ‘window’ for life scientists’ exploration.”

This breakthrough promises to revolutionize various biological research areas, offering unprecedented insights into the mechanical properties of living systems.

The Future of Brillouin Microscopy

The development of this faster, more efficient Brillouin microscopy technique offers profound implications for the future of biological research. Researchers can now delve deeper into the intricate mechanisms of life, unraveling the mechanical secrets of cells, tissues, and organisms.

This advancement opens doors to a wide range of applications, including:

• Studying the mechanical properties of living cells, revealing how they respond to stimuli and interact with their environment.
• Investigating the mechanics of tissue development and regeneration,paving the way for innovative tissue engineering approaches.
• Analyzing the mechanical behavior of organisms under stress, providing valuable insights into disease mechanisms and potential treatments.

The future of Brillouin microscopy is radiant, with continued advancements promising to further expand its capabilities and unlock even more secrets of the living world.

What specific technical advancements enabled this 1,000-fold speed boost in Brillouin microscopy?

revolutionizing Microscopy: A 1,000-fold Speed Boost

An Interview with Carlo Bevilacqua and Robert Prevedel on their Groundbreaking Advancement in Brillouin Microscopy

Archyde News has the privilege of speaking with Carlo Bevilacqua, lead author and optical engineer at EMBL’s Prevedel Team, and Robert Prevedel, Group Leader and senior author on the paper, about their remarkable achievement in accelerating Brillouin microscopy.

From Pixels to planes: A Quantum Leap in Imaging Speed

Archyde: Can you walk us through the evolution of Brillouin microscopy imaging,from analyzing a single pixel at a time to capturing a full 2D plane?

carlo: Indeed! Early Brillouin microscopes were indeed limited to analyzing just one pixel. Over the years, we’ve consistently improved the field of view. First, we coudl see a line of 100 pixels, and now, we’ve achieved a full plane with approximately 10,000 pixels.This expansion enables significantly faster imaging, including 3D imaging, using minimal light intensity.

Unlocking New Possibilities for Biological Research

Archyde: How does this enhancement in imaging speed and resolution impact biological research?

Robert: This advancement opens a novel and minimally invasive window for life scientists to explore the mechanical properties of living systems. Just as light-sheet microscopy revolutionized biological imaging, so too can this advancement in Brillouin microscopy. We’re excited about the potential for studying living cells,tissues,and organism mechanics.

The Future of brillouin Microscopy

Archyde: What applications do you see for this faster, more efficient Brillouin microscopy technique in the future?

Carlo: The possibilities are vast. We’re eager to study how living cells respond to stimuli and interact with their environment. We’re also interested in investigating the mechanics of tissue growth, regeneration, and analyzing organisms’ behavior under stress.

Archyde: Looking ahead, what’s next for Brillouin microscopy?

Robert: We believe there’s still much room for improvement. We’re working on achieving even faster imaging speeds, increased resolution, and integration with other microscopy techniques. We’re excited about the journey ahead and the secrets of life we might uncover.