Project Code: PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1803
Contract Number:
Project Title: Correlation and integration of microscopy and nanoscopy data by advanced computer vision methods
Duration: 24 months (1.10.2015-30.09.2017)
Grant value: 550 000 RON (~122 000 Euro)
Abstract:
Chemical and structural imaging at micro & nano-scale resolutions under ambient or physiological conditions can significantly advance the understanding of biological processes that take place at sub-cellular level and provide a better understanding of severe maladies such as cancer. Micro- and nano-scale information, as well as far-field and near-field information, complement each other and their consistent correlation has high potential to provide new perspectives in all research fields where microscopy and nanoscopy techniques represent key tools, such as biology, medicine, material science, device characterization, etc. This project aims to advance the interpretation and understanding of nano scale near-field & far field data collected by several recent nanoscopy techniques: scattering-Scanning Near Field Optical Microscopy (s-SNOM), fluorescence apertureless SNOM (FASNOM), second Harmonic Generation–SNOM (SHG-SNOM), Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy (STED) and Infrared Nanoscopy (IRN). This will be achieved by correlating nano scale near-field & far field data (s-SNOM, FASNOM, SHG-SNOM, STED, IRN) to micro-scale data collected by well-established laser scanning microscopy techniques (eg. Confocal Scannning Laser Microscopy , Multiphoton Laser Scanning Microscopy). Physico-chemical correlations between various information categories associated to complementary contrast mechanisms, leading to a better understanding of nanoscale data, will be assisted by advanced computer vision and image integration algorithms to be developed in the same project.
Objectives:
The scope of MICRONANO is to establish a team of young research scientists whose work will advance the current possibilities that are offered by microscopy and nanoscopy imaging. The main focus of attention will be placed on advancing the interpretation of nano-scale data collected by recent near-field & far-field nanoscopy techniques. Special emphasis will be placed on the in-depth understanding of nanoscopy data collected on tissue and cell samples relevant for cancer research, but also on nanostrucured biomaterials. This will be achieved by correlating nano scale near-field data (s-SNOM, FASNOM, SHG-SNOM) to far-field data (STED, IRN), and both of these nanoscopy data categories to ground truth data collected using well established microscopy techniques (eg. CSLM, MPLSM, SHG). In this purpose novel computer vision methods will be developed so as to facilitate the registration and automated alignment of data collected by different techniques, which will play a key role for data interpretation and in-depth understanding. The project addresses as well the integration, and coherent joint display, of micro- and nanoscale data and also of near- and far-field data, which will be achieved through the innovative image fusion methods to be developed in this project. The proposed project aims to achieve the following objectives:
Objective 1: Better understanding of nanoscale data collected by various optical nanoscopy techniques, and with hybrid correlative approaches.
Objective 2: Development of novel computer vision methods for registration and correlation of high-resolution data collected by complementary imaging techniques.
Objective 3: Development of novel image processing techniques for High and Super-Resolution Data restoration, enhancement and quality assesment.
Objective 4: Development of novel image fusion techniques that make possible the integration and coherent joint display of data collected by complementary imaging techniques on corresponding sample regions.
Funding Agency :
Executive Unit for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI)