The manipulation of light is critical in the fight against COVID-19, which is caused by the novel coronavirus. Frontline healthcare workers and researchers use systems composed of a wide variety of optical components including filters, mirrors, lenses, objectives, and more. These systems include polymerase chain reaction (PCR) devices that replicate DNA samples for testing, antibody detection systems, infrared fever detection devices, UV cleaning robots, and systems for monitoring the blood of patients connected to ventilators.
Learn MoreBlood is the fluid that keeps the human body functioning by delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to cells, while also removing excess nutrients and waste from those same cells. Blood consists of plasma, blood cells, water, proteins, ions, glucose, various hormones, and many other components. Proper maintenance and care is needed to ensure a healthy and long life. Optical systems such as flow cytometers, cell sorters, and optofluidics devices are used to quickly and accurately diagnose a variety of ailments. Laser based scanning flow systems consisting of lenses, filters, prisms, and other optical components can quickly detect abnormalities in red blood cells or white blood cells. Fluorescence based cell sorters also consist of similar optical components and can accurately detect CTCs in a patient, greatly improving their chances of survival.
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The brain is the most important organ of the human body and controls nearly everything we do. Billions and billions of neurons are connected by synapses and communicate via long fibers known as axons and pulses called action potentials. Although the brain is well studied and documented, there are many unknowns around various diseases and genetic disorders affecting the brain. Recent advancements in optogenetics and fluorescent markers have pushed the boundaries of brain diagnostics. Researchers can now utilize techniques such as multiphoton microscopy, CLARITY, and GCaMP to accurately tag and analyze neuronal development or brain degeneration. These techniques use a variety of optical components including microscope objectives and fluorescence filters. In the near future, these developments will hopefully lead to a better understanding of debilitating ailments such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, improving the lifestyle of hundreds of thousands of patients.
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The eye is one of our most powerful organs and is being utilized more and more for non-invasive diagnostic purposes. Whether for diabetic retinopathy, blindness, underlying genetic disorders, or blunt trauma, the eye can tell us a great deal of information quickly and easily. Optical developments on research grade systems and portable point of care devices are attacking health problems from two ends and are making great strides in medical technology. As these methods and systems advance, the possibility of accurately diagnosing retinal diseases before they progress to untreatable states will increase. Advancements will also lead to targeting treatments more effectively and ultimately provide a better understanding of cellular progression and pathways of many incurable diseases.
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