In vivo fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy
Fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy is a highly active area of biomedical research operating at the interface between physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and medicine. It fundamentally investigates the interaction between light and matter and offers several unique advantages, in particular: • High resolution: approximately 200 nm for a conventional fluorescence microscope [1]. • Sensitivity: single molecule detection is possible [2]. • Specificity: probes exist that can specifically target a wide range of biological molecules, ions, and other compounds [1]. In addition, it is possible to probe the interaction between many compounds, using techniques such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and pump-probe spectroscopy [3]. • In vivo: many techniques are applicable to in vivo imaging, enabling an unparalleled view into the detailed interworking of complex biological phenomena.
