The translation of microscopy with ultraviolet surface excitation (MUSE) into a high school science classroom is investigated with the goal of providing a suitable new modality to enhance life science education. A key part of this effort is the development of laboratory exercises that can integrate the advanced capabilities of MUSE into a classroom setting. MUSE utilizes the unique property of ultraviolet light at wavelengths between 250 and 285 nm to propagate about 10 μm into tissues, thus illuminating only the top cell layer. This illumination is provided by a low-power UV LED source, which enables one to cost-efficiently implement this method into the educational environment. MUSE in education can eliminate the need for premade microscope slides and provide a far more engaging and rewarding experience for students.

Date Published: 4 March 2019
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 10873, Optical Biopsy XVII: Toward Real-Time Spectroscopic Imaging and Diagnosis, 108731D (4 March 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2515366

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10873:
Optical Biopsy XVII: Toward Real-Time Spectroscopic Imaging and Diagnosis
Robert R. Alfano; Stavros G. Demos; Angela B. Seddon, Editor(s)