Two optics lab member join PV lab and launch the “GoBeyond” project
© 2018 EPFL
Nicolas Descharmes and Raphaël Barbey have joined the PV-lab to pursue their research on glass slides for fluoresence labelling --- a typical imaging technique for cancer or other severe pathology detection.
The diagnostic and understanding of severe pathologies like cancers rely on advanced detection or imaging techniques. Fluorescence labelling is one typical example and is used in a variety of routine biological and medical processes such as DNA sequencing, protein and antibody microarraying, immunohistochemistry. Though efficient, fluorescence suffers from an inherent limitation: the weakness of the signals available.
In a typical fluorescence analysis, labelled samples are deposited onto a glass or plastic slide and then measured using an optical reader. Raphaël and Nicolas have developed a new generation of ground breaking slides that dramatically improve the quality and the quantity of fluorescence signal available. Even better, these new slides are directly compatible with most optical scanners and readers available on the market.
After an initial development phase in the former Optics and Photonics Technology laboratory of Prof. Herzig, Nicolas and Raphaël have received the financial support of the Gebert Rüf Stiftung with the objective of demonstrating the validity of their concept. Mid 2018, they have been offered the opportunity to join the PVLAB in order to focus on the technology and market development. This autumn, their work has been further encouraged through the attribution of an Innogrant.