Live imaging module for organoids

Description

The increased use of organoids (22% growth rate market) creates a new need: methods of rapid high throughput screening of the organoids for quality control in the case where they are to be used as graft tissues or in drug screening trials, while at the same time not damaging the organoids so that they may be used for graft, or followed up long term for therapy efficacy evaluation or disease modeling applications. Current imaging methods for organoids do not meet this need as they are invasive and cause damage to the sample. Our team of experts in optics and biology propose a modular solution to live image 2D and 3D cell models with an unprecedented resolution and without use of any kind of marker over a multiple week time span. Dynamic Full Field Optical Coherence Tomography (DFFOCT) is a non-invasive, 3D, label free, live, long term, high resolution, modular imaging system, for which we own two patents. It is an interferometric technique where the image contrast is generated by movements of subcellular organelles such as mitochondria, producing a quantitative colormap linked to cell activity. The present Proof of Concept project “LiveOrg” seeks to valorise the live imaging method developed for retinal organoids in ERC Consolidator “Optoretina”, and disseminate this technology to a wide audience outwith the retina, including cancer, neurology, gastroenterology, hematology, and development. The LiveOrg project specifically aims to consolidate the team by hiring an engineer dedicated to design, construction and installation of DFFOCT modules; duplicate the DFFOCT module; install the modules at KOL sites; and acquire and analyse data with these modules in concertation with the KOLs to disseminate results. Thanks to this project, we anticipate that we may attract interest from investors which would allow us to create a startup, and potentially from known microscope manufacturers who could distribute our modules, or to whom we could license our patents.