Fluorescence endoscopy in-vivo based on fiber-bundle measurements

High-resolution imaging techniques have become important for the determination of the cellular organization that is coupled to organ function. In many cases the organ can be viewed without the need of ionizing radiation techniques in an easier and achievable way. This is the case of the gastrointestinal tract, and organ that can be directly accessed with endoscopy without the need of an invasive procedure. Many studies on diseases of the Gastrointestinal Tract are currently under way due to their large impact in human health. Mice and rats have been used for the study of these diseases, and in particular cancer, due to their similar anatomy and physiology with humans and their easy handling. The main objective of this project is to design a fluorescence high resolution endoscope test it in mice, without and with cancer previously induced in the large intestine, imaging the cellular organization of the colon. Access to the colon of the mouse takes place through the use of a fiber-optic bundle that redirects the light coming from a led to produce fluorescence and detect it back through the fiber bundle. This project has been done at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid where the design of the fluorescence high-resolution endoscope for small animals took place; and in collaboration with the Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa de Madrid where the in-vivo testing in mice and laboratory protocols for further diagnosis and validation of the endoscope were performed.Ingeniería Biomédic