Date Published: May/June 2024
Three Wyant College of Optical Sciences PhD students, all advised by Travis Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences, have had their research featured on prominent journals' covers.
Justina Bonaventura is first author of the article, "Evaluating backscattering polarized light imaging microstructural mapping capabilities through neural tissue and analogous phantom imaging," published in the May 2024 issue of SPIE's peer-reviewed Journal of Biomedical Optics. Her research explores the use of backscattering polarized light imaging (PLI) to map neural tissue microstructure. By leveraging the anisotropic properties of myelin sheaths, this study aims to improve the understanding of fiber orientation and structure within the brain. Using a five-wavelength backscattering Mueller matrix polarimeter, promising results were achieved with both phantoms and fixed ferret brain samples, paving the way for future advancements in neural imaging. Co-authors of the article included Kellys Morara, Rhea Carlson, Courtney Comrie, AnneLeigh Twer, Elizabeth Hutchinson and Travis W. Sawyer.
Noelle Daigle and Shuyuan Guan; with advisor, Travis Sawyer; co-authored the article, "Two-Photon Microscopy Provides Clear Guidance for Tumor Resection," featured in the May/June 2024 issue of BioPhotonics, a news journal published by Photonics Spectra. Their research combines multiphoton microscopy (MPM) with machine learning to enhance the surgical resection of pancreatic cancer. MPM offers label-free imaging and high-resolution margin definition, addressing the shortcomings of traditional methods like pathological inspection and fluorescence imaging. This innovative approach targets unique features of pancreatic cancer to provide real-time surgical guidance, potentially improving patient outcomes by ensuring complete tumor removal.
Congratulations to Justina, Noelle, and Shuyuan for their exceptional work and for having their articles selected for the covers of Journal of Biomedical Optics and BioPhotonics!
Covers of Journal of Biomedical Optics (left) and BioPhotonics (right), both of which were published articles written by Wyant College of Optical Sciences students for the May/June 2024 Issues of their respective issues.