FEM2BIO — Extended fiber for multicolor microscopy in biology
Product description
Regional collaborative project (2021-2024)
The FEM2BIO project is pioneering advancements in video microscopy by enabling simultaneously monitoring of five fluorescent proteins in order to observe and better understand celllular mechanisms. Fluorescent proteins are indispensable in biological research, acting as markers for proteins of interest in live samples. Thanks to its minimally invasive characteristic, the fluorescence microscopy allows to visualize and follow the labeled proteins in living samples with precision and efficiency.
- Cellular imaging
- Fluorescence microscopy
- 5-color laser combiner
- Photonic crystal fiber (PCF)
ENHANCING CELLULAR IMAGING WITH A 5TH WAVELENGTH LASER
FEM2BIO is a regional partnership bringing together key players in photonics and biology. The first part of the project is dedicated to the development of components and lasers in order to provide a combiner to the IGDR and to perform fluorescence microscopy analysis with 5 wavelengths instead of 4 currently. The addition of an extra wavelength will allow them to follow an extra protein of interest and thus improve the computational models. A second part of the project is oriented in prospecting and will consist in developing a wide band fiber (from 320 to 900 nm) as well as some near UV lasers.
To reach this objective and to prepare even more powerful microscopes (up to 6 to 8 proteins followed simultaneously), new optical components will be developed within the framework of the project : fiber, lasers, broadband combination of lasers in the PCF fiber or even dichroic filter to separate excitation lasers from fluorescence.
- Oxxius: The challenge for Oxxius R&D is to develop a 698 nm laser with100 mW (based on the same technology as the LPX-640 and the near UV laser also developed by Oxxius). In a second step, the Oxxius team will design the combiner adapted to the specificities detailed by the IGDR (choice of components) and will integrate its new 698 nm laser. Photonics Bretagne: Creation of advanced single-mode photonic crystal fibers covering a broad spectral range of 400–800 nm.
- Photonics Bretagne and IDIL : Photonics Bretagne develops a microsctructured fiber covering the 400-800 nm range. The fiber connectorization, including the integration of a silica rod end caps to seal and protect the microstructured fiber ends is realized by IDIL.
PARTNERS
- Oxxius
- Photonics Bretagne
- IDIL
- Lannion Trégor Communauté
- Région Bretagne
- IGDR
