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OPTIPATH – ADAPTIVE OPTICAL METASURFACES FOR REAL-TIME, LABEL-FREE AND NON-DESTRUCTIVE 7D DIGITAL PATHOLOGY
EU funding: EIC – CORDIS
2025-2028
Web page link
Partners:
Christopher Dirdal, Micro Optics, SINTEF, Oslo, Norway (coord.)
Jens Pahnke, University of Oslo (UiO)/ Oslo University Hospital (OUS), Oslo, Norway
Igor Meglinski, ASTON University, Birmigham, UK
Aliaksandr Bykau, Biophotonics, Oulu University, Oulu, Finland
Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi, Nano Optics, University of South Denmark, Odense, Denmark
NIL Techology AS, Denmark
Why OPTIPATH?
Diagnosing diseases like cancer, infections and autoimmune conditions often depends on examining tissue samples under a microscope. This process can be slow owing to the many time-consuming steps involved in preparing tissue samples for observation, i.e. to enable visible contrast between cancerous and non-cancerous cells. Furthermore, the process can be subjective, with doctors sometimes reaching different conclusions, leading to more tests or, in the worst case, misdiagnosis. In this context, the EIC-funded OPTIPATH project offers a solution with a groundbreaking approach to tissue analysis. Using advanced optical chip-based technology with machine learning, it aims to provide fast, accurate 3D imaging of unprepared tissue samples. Invisible properties of light will be harnessed to give access to information currently unavailable to practitioners.
Project objective:
Treatment decisions for many pathological conditions, including inflammatory, degenerative, autoimmune, infectious diseases, and cancer, are largely based on microscopy study of the surgically excised tissue specimens (histology). OPTIPATH provides a new paradigm for gathering objective optical tissue-dependent data, which is essential to overcoming the diagnostic challenges of inter-observer variability and limited sensitivity and specificity. OPTIPATH will offer non-destructive, label-free, real-time, 3D-presentation of tissue samples. This is enabled by (i) revolutionary nano-photonic optical metasurfaces (OMS) for simultaneous single-shot acquisition of spectral and polarimetric information, and adaptive OMS actuated by thin-film piezoelectric Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) for (ii) rapid Vector Vortex Beam (VVB) shaping of light, and (iii) rapid confocal 3D imaging. The wealth of objective diagnostic data provided will be interpreted using Machine Learning (ML) / Deep Learning (DL), and is essential to overcome inter-observer variability in diagnosis and provide actionable insights to the clinician. By utilizing optical markers present in unprepared tissue histological procedures can be dramatically sped up, offering real-time diagnosis in operation theatres and pathology departments. By offering timely and accurate diagnosis, OPTIPATH will enable early diagnosis and improved prognosis of recovery.
Project progress:
to come