Development of femtosecond/picosecond laser and sample delivery for PIRL-DIVE-MS to enable spatial imaging of tissue and earliest possible detection of disease

Picosecond InfraRed Laser (PIRL) technology has finally realized the long-held promise of the laser to achieve the fundamental (single cell) limit to minimally invasive surgery – with the unexpected benefit of scar free healing. The very process of laser cutting involves the selective excitation of natural occurring water inside tissue to drive molecules into the gas phase in the form of an ablation plume. The cutting process occurs so fast that all the constituents within the tissue are injected into the gas phase perfectly intact, perfect for detection of biomolecules at the highest possible sensitivity and speed using Mass Spectrometers (MS) or charged particle detectors. This research promises to revolutionize medicine by enabling scar free surgery at the single cell limit of accuracy with complete biodiagnostics to guide surgery for optimal recovery of function and detect diseases from microbiopsies of tissue at the earliest possible stage.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dwayne Miller

Student:

Partner:

Light Matter Interaction Inc.

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program: