Monday, August 25, 2008

PhD Dissertation Defense for Hyejun Ra

University PhD Dissertation Defense

 

In vivo cellular imaging with MEMS scanners

 

Hyejun Ra

 

Department of Electrical Engineering

Stanford University

 

Research Advisor: Professor O. Solgaard

 

Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Time: 1:15 PM (Refreshments served at 1 PM)

Location: CIS-X Auditorium, Center for Integrated Systems

 

Abstract:

 

The ability to image through tissue with high resolution in vivo enables non-invasive early cancer detection in humans and therapeutic research in live pre-clinical animal models. The dual-axes confocal (DAC) microscope architecture is proposed to miniaturize a tabletop microscope into a handheld or endoscope-compatible size. I will present the 2-D (two-dimensional) MEMS scanner that enables in vivo real-time imaging in the DAC configuration. It consists of a 2-D gimbal structure in double silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layers and is actuated by electrostatic vertical combdrives.

In the second part, I will present a handheld DAC microscope system where the MEMS scanner is aligned and integrated with miniature optics. Deep tissue imaging with 3-D reconstruction is demonstrated.

Finally, the application of the miniaturized DAC microscope in in vivo intravital imaging will be shown in therapeutic research of siRNA silencing in the skin.

 

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