Biophotonics Discovery: The Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Anita Mahadevan-Jansen reveals her strategy for building a cohesive and collaborative research community within her lab. She and Darren also discuss how the field of biophotonics has evolved over the years, and she highlights the ongoing challenges faced by researchers in this dynamic area.

Watch the full video interview online at https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-2/issue-04/040501/Lighting-the-Way--Anita-Mahadevan-Jansens-Journey-Through-Biophotonics/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.4.040501.full

In this episode, Biophotonics Discovery Editor-in-Chief Darren Roblyer interviews Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, professor of biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University, and a leading figure in the field of biophotonics. Anita recounts her remarkable journey from India to the United States, where a series of unexpected events and challenges led her to pivot from her dream of studying medicine, to becoming a pioneer in biophotonics. She went on to develop technologies critical to cancer detection and patient care.

Watch the full video interview online at https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/biophotonics-discovery/volume-2/issue-04/040501/Lighting-the-Way--Anita-Mahadevan-Jansens-Journey-Through-Biophotonics/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.4.040501.full

Pulse oximeters—those small, clip-on devices used to measure blood oxygen—are a mainstay in modern medicine. But new research from Putcha and colleagues offers a clearer understanding of a critical flaw: in patients with darker skin tones, pulse oximeters consistently overestimate blood oxygen levels, especially when oxygen levels are dangerously low.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.3.032506

Scientists have taken a major step toward rapid, non-destructive tissue typing by combining label-free optical microscopy with deep learning. In a new study, Guan and colleagues at University of Arizona have developed a method called “optical phenotyping” that can classify different pancreatic tissue types based on how they look under specialized imaging—without any stains—and link them to underlying gene activity.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.3.035001

A new optical device may revolutionize the early treatment of oral cancer, especially in regions with limited medical infrastructure. In a recent study, Khan and colleagues have developed and rigorously tested a low-cost, battery-powered intraoral tool that integrates both optical diagnostics and photodynamic therapy.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.4.042305

A next-generation imaging approach is changing how we detect colorectal cancer—and it doesn’t even require dyes or contrast agents.

In a groundbreaking study, Lagarto and colleagues show how a label-free optical technique, combined with artificial intelligence, can accurately distinguish between benign and malignant tissues, potentially transforming colorectal cancer diagnostics during endoscopy.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.3.032705

Phototherapy is the gold-standard treatment for newborn jaundice, but a new study suggests it might not be as universally effective as once thought. Using sophisticated computer modeling, researchers have found that skin color could significantly impact how much therapeutic light actually reaches and breaks down bilirubin in newborns.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1117/1.BIOS.2.3.032508

From the SPIE journal Biophotonics Discovery comes a new podcast that discusses the many ways light is used to solve big problems in biology and medicine. Get to know your hosts, Editor-in-Chief Darren Roblyer (Boston University) and Gwen Weerts (SPIE).