Depth Encoded Confocal Endoscope for Gastrointestinal Tract

• Applicant: Dr. Asha Asha
• Subject Area: Biomedical Systems Technology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 556380686

The Gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex habitat for microorganisms, housing over 1,000 different species with densities reaching up to a trillion cells per gram of tissue. Remarkably, the GI system maintains a delicate balance among this diverse microbial population. However, this balance can sometimes be disrupted, leading to complications such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). One of the key objectives in this field is to unravel the mechanisms underlying IBD. Unfortunately, most studies are conducted in vitro or ex vivo. To gain a better understanding of IBD and develop effective therapeutics, studies need to be performed within the GI tract itself. Current white light endoscopes lack the cellular resolution required to study IBD effectively. Although clinical techniques like multiphoton microscopy and confocal microscopy offer cellular resolution, their imaging is limited to a single plane. Presently, no technique allows for in vivo, three-dimensional imaging of GI tract tissue at cellular resolution. In this project, I will develop a chromatic confocal microscopy-based flexible endoscope using a highly chromatic dispersive material, Zinc Selenide. This endoscope will be capable of imaging GI tract tissue at cellular resolution in three dimensions without the need for a scanning mechanism at the imaging site. The device will be tested by imaging the GI tract in a colitis model of mice. The acquired images will provide the first detailed view of various GI tract cell types in the presence of microbiomes in their natural habitat. With its unique combination of simplicity, extended imaging range, and superior resolution, the developed device is expected to have applications beyond gastroenterology, including in fields such as cardiovascular research, eosinophilic esophagitis, and as a surface profiler in industrial applications.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: Canada
• Host: Professor Dr. Kanwarpal Singh