Biophotonics Discovery: The Podcast

What does it take to turn a niche research tool into a thriving business that supports the development of next-generation medical imaging technologies?

In this episode of our commercialization series, Darren and Gwen sit down with Ethan LaRochelle and Alberto Ruiz, co-founders of QUEL Imaging to explore the intersection of biophotonics innovation, standardization, and entrepreneurship. Founded while LaRochelle and Ruiz were still graduate students at Dartmouth, QUEL Imaging develops optical tissue phantoms and reference targets that help researchers, device manufacturers, and regulatory teams evaluate the performance of fluorescence imaging systems.

The conversation explores the science, standards, and entrepreneurship behind optical phantoms and reference targets for fluorescence imaging. Ethan LaRochelle and Alberto Ruiz discuss how QUEL Imaging helps researchers and medical device companies characterize imaging systems, improve measurement consistency, and support the development of fluorescence-guided surgery and other biomedical optics technologies. They also share the story of building QUEL Imaging from an idea in Brian Pogue's lab into a growing company, offering valuable insights on commercialization, scientific innovation, and bridging the gap between academic research and industry needs.

Episode links:

Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 31, Issue 7, 077003

blog.quelimaging.com

What if clinicians could see not only how tissue is structured, but what it is made of—through the same optical fiber? Early changes associated with oral cancer can extend well beyond what is visible at the tissue surface. Microscopic disruption of epithelial architecture can occur alongside molecular remodeling of collagen, proteins, lipids, and cellular metabolism. Capturing these complementary structural and biochemical changes simultaneously could provide a much richer picture of tissue health than either contrast alone.

In a recent study published in Biophotonics Discovery, aresearch team led by Prof. Zhiwei Huang at the National University of Singapore developed a compact Raman spectroscopy–optical coherence tomography, or Raman-OCT, platform that does exactly that. The system combines OCT’s depth-resolved view of tissue microarchitecture with Raman spectroscopy’s molecular fingerprints, enabling coaxial, spatially co-registered morpho-molecular measurements of living oral tissue within a handheld probe.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-03/035004/Single-fiber-co-registered-Raman-OCT-technique-with-deep-learning/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.3.035004.full

Pelvic organ prolapse is a common but often overlooked condition that affects millions of women. It occurs when the tissues that support the pelvic organs weaken, allowing organs such as the bladder, uterus, or rectum to shift from their normal position. Doctors can assess how severe the prolapse is, but existing tools do not provide much information about what's happening inside the tissue itself.

In a recent study, published in Biophotonics Discovery, researchers from University of Texas Southwestern’s Pence Lab have shown that a light-based imaging technique called Raman spectroscopy may offer a way to detect those hidden tissue changes without removing or damaging tissue. The study suggests the approach could eventually help doctors monitor tissue health and track disease progression in a much less invasive way.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-03/032106/Raman-spectroscopy-for-nondestructive-detection-of-vaginal-tissue-alterations-in/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.3.032106.full

Tiny structures called dendritic spines sit at the receiving end of many connections between brain cells, helping neurons communicate and adapt as we learn and form memories. Recent research, reported in Biophotonics Discovery, has illuminated an innovative approach to modulate calcium signaling in neuronal dendritic spines using infrared lasers. Conducted by a team at Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center, the study offers significant insights into how transient photothermal gradients triggered by laser exposure could lead to clinical advancements in neurostimulation.

The central question addressed by the researchers was whether infrared neural stimulation (INS) could induce calcium activity specifically within dendritic spines—small protrusions from neurons that are crucial for synaptic transmission. Prior studies have established that infrared light could influence neuronal excitability, but mechanisms underlying calcium dynamics in the context of INS remained largely uncharacterized and INS for dendritic spines has never been studied.

To tackle this, the team employed advanced confocal imaging techniques on cortical neurons expressing genetically encoded calcium indicators. These state-of-the-art tools allowed for real-time monitoring of calcium fluctuations in response to targeted laser exposure. The experiments assessed how varying laser parameters—such as pulse duration and temperature—affected calcium signaling in dendritic spines.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-03/035001/Transient-infrared-laser-exposure-modulates-calcium-activity-in-cortical-dendritic/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.3.035001.full

A routine blood sample contains a diverse collection of immune cells that can reveal important clues about health and disease. These cells, known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), are widely used to study infections, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and the immune system's response to treatment. Scientists typically identify these cells using fluorescent labels that attach to specific surface markers. While effective, those methods provide limited information about how the cells function, and can alter the cells during preparation. As reported in Biophotonics Discovery, a recent study shows how advanced optical imaging can reveal the metabolic activity of individual immune cells within a complex blood sample, which was a previously inaccessible layer of information.

Senior author Melissa Skala of the Morgridge Institute for Research and the University of Wisconsin–Madison notes, “PBMCs can be isolated clinically easily, and they’re already used in the clinical workflow. The question is, what can we get from them that we aren’t already getting?”

That question has growing clinical relevance, as PBMCs are routinely studied in conditions ranging from blood cancers and sepsis, to lupus and cognitive decline. PBMCs also serve as the starting material for cell therapies such as T-cell treatments, where a patient’s own immune cells are harnessed to fight cancer. Understanding not just how many immune cells are present, but how active and metabolically fit they are, could provide new insights into disease progression and treatment response.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-03/035003/Autofluorescence-lifetime-imaging-resolves-cell-heterogeneity-within-peripheral-blood-mononuclear/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.3.035003.full

As reported in the SPIE journal Biophotonics Discovery, researchers used super-resolution microscopy to observe the cancer drug sunitinib moving through living cells. and measured its effects on the cell's internal infrastructure. Taking advantage of the drug's natural fluorescence, the team tracked its localization and found that it accumulates primarily in lysosomes, cellular compartments involved in recycling waste.

Sunitinib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is frequently utilized in treating solid cancer tumors, especially metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The study aimed to elucidate the intracellular mechanisms behind sunitinib's cytotoxicity, extending beyond its known inhibition of receptor tyrosine kinases. Researchers aimed to understand how sunitinib induces dysfunction across various cellular organelles, specifically mitochondria, lysosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum, leading to impairing cellular integrity and viability.
Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-04/043102/Sunitinib-induces-coordinated-mitochondrial-lysosomal-and-endoplasmic-reticulum-disruption-leading/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.4.043102.full

Researchers from Vanderbilt University highlight the critical role that tissue-mimicking optical phantoms play in developing, calibrating, and validating optical imaging and spectroscopy devices. These engineered materials replicate the optical properties of human tissue, allowing technologies to be tested under realistic conditions before reaching the clinic.

Optical phantoms are essential across fields like oncology, dermatology, and surgery, yet inconsistent design and reporting have long limited reproducibility across labs. This review traces two decades of progress, driven by advances in materials and 3D printing, and calls for greater standardization, including phantoms that represent diverse skin tones to improve the accuracy of devices like pulse oximeters.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-02/022511/Optical-phantoms-for-the-characterization-and-validation-of-imaging-and/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.2.022511.full

Recent research has unveiled fascinating insights into hemoglobin's behavior when exposed to heat, revealing its oxygenation-dependent dynamics. The study, conducted by Professor Antonio Pifferi and team at the Politecnico di Milano, highlights how the spectral properties of hemoglobin change under thermal treatment, significantly impacting approaches to laser-based thermal therapies.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-02/025004/Temperature-induced-hemoglobin-dynamics--oxygenation-dependent-evolution-of-hemoglobin/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.2.025004.full

In this episode, Darren Roblyer and Travis Sawyer talk to Dr. Guosong Hong about his award-winning work in the realm of biophotonics, specifically his groundbreaking research on optical clearing. Through innovative use of absorbing molecules, Guosong and his team have developed methods to achieve optical transparency in living tissues, allowing for deeper and sharper imaging. This approach could transform applications like skin cancer diagnosis and vision restoration.

Guosong also shares insights into his latest project, which involves using biocompatible mechanoluminescent materials to convert sound waves into light—the opposite of photoacoustics. This "acousto-optics" approach allows for non-invasive light delivery deep within the body.

We also dive into why Guosong keeps a copy of Bohren and Huffman (1983) on his desk. He shares how classical texts helped spark his latest innovations and why the future of biophotonics might actually be found in the fundamentals of the past.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have unveiled vital insights into the structure of the human uncinate fasciculus, a significant white matter tract linking the anterior temporal lobe to the orbitofrontal cortex. Their findings not only mark the first detailed characterization of this critical brain connection but also illustrate the promise of advanced imaging techniques in understanding human neurobiology.

Read the article: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-3/issue-02/025002/Ultrastructural-analysis-of-human-uncinate-fasciculus-with-coherent-anti-Stokes/10.1117/1.BIOS.3.2.025002.full