CRIMSON Project

CRIMSON : European consortium to build next-generation microscope promising to revolutionize the study of the cellular origin of diseases.

Beginning of project : 01/12/2019
End of project : 31/05/2024

The CRIMSON project will last 42 months and with a budget exceeding 5M€

Head of project at institut Fresnel : Hervé Rigneault, MOSAIC group

A breakthrough in microscopy and endoscopy will soon revolutionize the study of the cellular origin of diseases, advancing the field of precision medicine. This is the goal of CRIMSON, a trans-disciplinary and trans-national research project recently funded by European Commission. It will develop the next-generation bio-photonics imaging device for biomedical research, combining advanced laser techniques with artificial-intelligence data analysis. This groundbreaking microscope will provide three-dimensional quantitative maps of sub-cellular compartments in living cells and organoids and enable fast tissue classification with unprecedented biomolecular sensitivity. High acquisition speed will allow the observation of intra and inter-cellular dynamic changes by time-lapse imaging.

We will also simulate future in-vivo studies and demonstrate the capability to image inside the body, realizing an innovative endoscope and applying it to ex-vivo thick tissue samples. The results have potentially profound societal impacts, improving patients’ quality of life and reducing public healthcare costs.