Quantum Leap in Cellular Imaging Achieved
Challenge in Research and Clinical Practice
How do healthy cells differ from pathological ones? And how can these differences be detected during surgery? This is precisely where conventional imaging methods reach their limits. While they provide valuable data, they often do so with significant delays—too late for immediate clinical use. “There are metabolic processes or other mechanisms that can indicate whether a cell is healthy or pathological. And this differentiation is, of course, important for the surgeon during the operation—not an hour later,” explains Prof. Dr. Bruno Weber from the Bruno Weber Lab at the University of Zurich.
Technological Breakthrough Through Photon Counting
The solution comes from a new development at the IMES Institute for Microelectronics, Embedded Systems and Sensors at OST. In close collaboration with the University of Zurich and Prospective Instruments, a photon-counting module for fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) was created. This module detects individual photons with extremely high temporal precision—fast enough to generate live images of cellular processes. “The instrument built for us by OST is essentially a very fast stopwatch that can measure light in time frames during which it only travels a few centimeters,” says Dr. Luca Ravotto from the University of Zurich. The new technology is not only more precise, but also more robust under high light intensity and significantly more cost-effective than existing systems.
Successful Collaboration as Equals
The success of the project is also rooted in the close interdisciplinary collaboration between the partners. “Our colleagues from the university were truly brilliant. They’re not just biologists—they’re also electrical engineers. They understood our language, and over time we came to understand theirs,” says Prof. Dr. Paul Zbinden, Project Lead at OST. The collaboration opened up a new field of knowledge for everyone involved—and paves the way for future developments. A follow-up project focused on real-time diagnostics is already in the pipeline.