Coherent anti-Stokes Raman-scattering (CARS) microscopy has gained a strong following in clinical and biological research circles in recent years, thanks to improvements in detection sensitivity, better understanding of contrast mechanisms, and the development of new laser sources that enable CARS to provide noninvasive 3-D imaging of live cells. Sunney Xie and his research group at Harvard have pioneered the development and application of CARS, which allows imaging of live cells and tissues based on vibrational spectroscopy with high sensitivity. Xie has coauthored over 110 research papers and holds three US patents.

In his hour-long webcast on April 17, Prof. Xie will provide an overview of CARS technology and applications, with particular emphasis on the many advantages this technique brings to tissue imaging, metabolite imaging, and imaging of brain tumors.
State of the Art in CARS Microscopy - Technologies & Applications

Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease in the United States and other developed countries. The top five cancers in terms of annual deaths are (in order) lung, colon, breast, prostate, and pancreas. In each case, it has been demonstrated time and again that the key to reducing deaths from these cancers is earlier detection and treatment than what is currently possible with conventional diagnostic technologies and techniques.

Biomedical engineers and researchers worldwide are working to provide doctors with new and improved means for imaging suspicious lesions and determining tissue characteristics without the need for invasive surgical biopsy procedures. High-resolution, noninvasive imaging techniques involving lasers, LEDs, detectors, fibers, endoscopes, and related optical components are increasingly being used to enhance the diagnosis of cancer, eliminating the need for surgical tissue removal and the often days-long wait for lab results that can accompany physical biopsies. More important, these technologies should dramatically improve the ability to detect, diagnose, and monitor skin, brain, breast, lung, prostate, and other cancers.
Optical Diagnostics: Finding and Fighting Cancer