Dr. Mariana Potcoava, The University of Illinois College of Medicine
September 30, 2021

Dr. Potcoava’s research is directed to the development of optical instrumentation for biomedical measurements and addresses two broad topics: 1) Holography in tomographic imaging, and 2) Application of Raman spectroscopy in the life sciences. In this webinar, she discusses recent advances in building an incoherent detection arm for a Lattice Light-Sheet (LLS) microscope, called Incoherent Holography Lattice Light-Sheet (IHLLS). Dr, Potcoava will discuss development of this system, including characterization of its performance, and demonstrate a significant contrast improvement using both beads and neuronal structures within a biological test sample as well as quantitative phase imaging. The IHLLS has similar or better transverse and performance when compared to the LLS technique. In addition, the IHLLS allows for volume reconstruction from fewer z-galvo displacements, thus facilitating faster volume acquisition. Dr. Potcoava has also worked on a technology that demonstrates the potential of Raman spectroscopy to determine with high accuracy the composition changes of the fatty acids and cholesterol found in the lipid droplets of prostate cancer cells treated with various fatty acids. The methodology uses a modified least-square fitting (LSF) routine that uses highly discriminatory wavenumbers between the fatty acids present in the sample using a new Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm.

 
 
To view Dr. Potcoava’s webinar, please click on the link below:
Use of Optical Instrumentation for Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Biological Processes