Deep photoacoustic imaging

Photoacoustic imaging converts absorbed pulsed light into ultrasound. Because ultrasound scatters much less than light in soft tissue, it can carry information from depths where conventional optical microscopy loses resolution.

This project develops imaging strategies for deep measurements of neuronal and vascular signals in scattering brain tissue. Current directions include experimental design, signal reconstruction, and validation on biologically relevant samples.

Goals

• Measure optical absorption at depths beyond one millimeter.
• Improve spatial resolution and sensitivity for neural-scale signals.
• Connect photoacoustic contrast to functional markers of activity.