Turning cells into tiny lasers for medical diagnostics
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029072
Nature : Biological cells have been turned into microlasers by injecting them with droplets of oil or fat mixed with a fluorescent dye. The droplets, which act as the gain medium, can then be activated by short pulses of light. Matjaž Humar and Seok Hyun Yun of Harvard Medical School are developing the technique to be used in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors and other medical conditions. Although luminescent probes have already been used with much success, the intracellular microlasers have a narrower emission spectrum, which allows for the tracking of thousands of cells simultaneously. The researchers have even experimented with using fluorescent polystyrene beads of different diameters to tag individual cells.
