Technology Development

Innovation in advanced biophysical technology, microscopy, and analysis algorithms

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Technology innovation in the BPI Lab

One of the grand challenges in human immunology research is the quantitative visualization of immune cells at the exact spatiotemporal sensitivity demanded by biology. Although microscopy has long been a pillar of scientific discovery, traditional systems are bounded by rigid compromises between optical sectioning, phototoxicity, and volumetric speed.

To overcome these challenges, the BPI Lab pioneers advanced biophysical technology, microscopy, and analysis algorithms. A particular technical focus is optical live cell imaging platforms integrating next generation custom optics, lightsheet microscopy, and microfluidic perfusion. This triad enables the non-invasive, longterm observation of both rapid and sustained cell cell interactions within living tissue biopsies in vivo and cell cell in vitro assays free from the perturbations of the optical observer.

Nevertheless, the imaging of living cell dynamics and behaviour is only half the mandate. To extract definitive physical and biological insight from multi terabyte datasets, we develop an advanced suite of quantitative analysis pipelines. Spanning rigorous analytical descriptions, computer simulations, and Artificial Intelligence driven algorithms, these analysis approaches transform complex volumetric data into quantitative measurements decoding how immune cells navigate, sense, and execute their functions in health and disease.

Image Credit: Shuyang Xu, Huw Coilin-York

Our Toolkit

Technology Platforms

Live-cell superresolution eTIRF-SIM

Statistical Analysis of Scanning Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

The eTIRF-SIM is a state of the art super-resolution microscope. It takes advantage of combining two imaging modalities TIRF and SIM in the same system, which allows achieving up to 90 nm lateral and 150 axial resolutions at high frame acquisition rate.

Cells rely on versatile diffusion dynamics in their plasma membrane. Quantification of this often heterogeneous diffusion is essential to the understanding of cell regulation and function.