Optical Image Acquisition, Analysis and Processing for Biomedical Applications

Light is a most versatile tool for investigating biological systems and phenomena; the range, non-destructiveness, spatial discrimination and speed of optical imaging are all important for investigating biological structure and function at the cellular, tissue or even whole organism level. In live biological imaging, where the technological requirements are heightened by the challenges posed, other features of light, such as coherence and wave-length, are used to generate the additional contrast and resolution needed. We report here the recent improvements in our ability to image biological specimens optically, focusing on (a) spectral imaging and the related image processing issues, and (b) tomographic three-dimensional fluorescence imaging in vivo.