This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 10074 including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and Conference Committee listing.

The ability to sift through a large heterogeneous population of cells is of paramount importance in a diverse range of biomedical and green applications. Furthermore, the capability of identifying various features of cells in a label-free manner is useful for high-throughput screening. Here we present optofluidic time-stretch quantitative phase microscopy for high-throughput label-free single-cell screening. This method is based on an integration of a hydrodynamic-focusing microfluidic chip, an optical time-stretch microscope for high-speed imaging with a spatial resolution of ~800 nm at a frame rate of ~10 million frames per second, and a digital image processor for image-based characterization, classification, and statistical analysis of biological cells such as blood cells and microalgae. It provides both the opacity (amplitude) and thickness (phase) content of every cell at a high throughput of ~10,000 cells per second. This method is expected to be effective for a diverse range of applications such as cancer detection and biofuel production.

Although the contrast generated in transmitted light microscopy is due to the elastic scattering of light, multiple scattering scrambles the image and reduces overall visibility. To image both thin and thick samples, we turn to gradient light interference microscopy (GLIM) to simultaneously measure morphological parameters such as cell mass, volume, and surfaces as they change through time. Because GLIM combines multiple intensity images corresponding to controlled phase offsets between laterally sheared beams, incoherent contributions from multiple scattering are implicitly cancelled during the phase reconstruction procedure. As the interfering beams traverse near identical paths, they remain comparable in power and interfere with optimal contrast. This key property lets us obtain tomographic parameters from wide field z-scans after simple numerical processing. Here we show our results on reconstructing tomograms of bovine embryos, characterizing the time-lapse growth of HeLa cells in 3D, and preliminary results on imaging much larger specimen such as brain slices.

The phase contrast (PC) method is one of the most impactful developments in the four-century long history of microscopy. It allows for intrinsic, nondestructive contrast of transparent specimens, such as live cells. However, PC is plagued by the halo artifact, a result of insufficient spatial coherence in the illumination field, which limits its applicability. We present a new approach for retrieving halo-free phase contrast microscopy (hfPC) images by upgrading the conventional PC microscope with an external interferometric module, which generates sufficient data for reversing the halo artifact. Measuring four independent intensity images, our approach first measures haloed phase maps of the sample. We solve for the halo-free sample transmission function by using a physical model of the image formation under partial spatial coherence. Using this halo-free sample transmission, we can numerically generate artifact-free PC images. Furthermore, this transmission can be further used to obtain quantitative information about the sample, e.g., the thickness with known refractive indices, dry mass of live cells during their cycles. We tested our hfPC method on various control samples, e.g., beads, pillars and validated its potential for biological investigation by imaging live HeLa cells, red blood cells, and neurons.

Holographic optical tweezers (HOTs) have been utilized for trapping microscopic particles in three dimensions with multiple foci generated by wavefront shaping of light, which can manipulate three-dimensional (3-D) positions of colloidal particles as well as exerting an optical force on particles. So far, most experiments using HOTs have been conducted for trapping spherical particles because optical principles can easily predict optical forces and the responding motion of microspheres. For non-spherical particles, however, calculation of optical forces and torques exerting on samples is very complicated, and the orientation control of non-spherical particles is limited since the non-spherical particles tend to align along the optic axis of the trapping beam. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate 3-D trapping of non-spherical particles by wavefront shaping of light based on the measurement of 3-D refractive index (RI) distribution of samples. The 3-D RI distribution of non-spherical particles was measured by optical diffraction tomography and the phase hologram which can generate stable optical traps for the samples was calculated by iterative 3-D Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm from the measured 3-D RI distribution. We first validate the proposed method for stable trapping and orientation control of 2-m colloidal PMMA ellipsoids. The proposed method is also exploited for rotating, folding and assembly of red blood cells.

Optical sectioning microscopy can provide highly detailed three dimensional (3D) images of biological samples. However, it requires acquisition of many images per volume, and is therefore time consuming, and may not be suitable for live cell 3D imaging. We propose the use of the modified Gerchberg-Saxton phase retrieval algorithm to enable full 3D imaging of gold nanoparticles tagged sample using only two images. The reconstructed field is free space propagated to all other focus planes using post processing, and the 2D z-stack is merged to create a 3D image of the sample with high fidelity. Because we propose to apply the phase retrieving on nano particles, the regular ambiguities typical to the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm, are eliminated. The proposed concept is then further enhanced also for tracking of single fluorescent particles within a three dimensional (3D) cellular environment based on image processing algorithms that can significantly increases localization accuracy of the 3D point spread function in respect to regular Gaussian fitting. All proposed concepts are validated both on simulated data as well as experimentally.

Quantitative phase-gradient or phase imaging in LED microscopy has been recently demonstrated. The methods enable measurement of phase distribution of transparent specimens in a simple and cost-effective manner, but require multiple image acquisitions with different source or pupil configurations to improve phase accuracy. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for single-shot quantitative phase imaging in color-coded LED microscopy. We employ a circular LED illumination pattern that is trisected into subregions with equal area, assigned to red, green and blue colors, respectively. Additional color filter is also employed to mitigate the color leakage of light into different color channels of the image sensor. Image acquisition with a color image sensor and subsequent computation based on the weak object transfer function allow for quantitative amplitude and phase measurements of a specimen. We describe computational model and single-shot quantitative phase imaging capability of our method by presenting phase images of calibrated phase sample and dynamics of cells. Phase measurement accuracy is validated with pre-characterized phase plate, and single-shot phase imaging capability is demonstrated with time-lapse imaging of cells acquired at 30 Hz.

A non-interferometric technique for imaging from laser speckle using speckle autocorrelation assisted with sparsity enhanced iterative phase reconstruction is proposed and demonstrated in this paper. The use of sparsity assisted approach in combination with speckle correlation provides the potential to retrieve the complex correlation function from random speckle pattern. Imaging through random scattering medium is demonstrated by recovery of a circular and an annular aperture from the laser speckle.

Due to the large number of available mirrors, the patterning speed, low-cost, and compactness, digital-micromirror devices (DMDs) have been extensively used in biomedical imaging system. Recently, DMDs have been brought to the quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) field to achieve synthetic-aperture imaging and tomographic imaging. Last year, our group demonstrated using DMD for QPM, where the phase-retrieval is based on a recently developed Fourier ptychography algorithm. In our previous system, the illumination angle was varied through coding the aperture plane of the illumination system, which has a low efficiency on utilizing the laser power. In our new DMD-based QPM system, we use the Lee-holograms, which is conjugated to the sample plane, to change the illumination angles for much higher power efficiency. Multiple-angle illumination can also be achieved with this method. With this versatile system, we can achieve FPM-based high-resolution phase imaging with 250 nm lateral resolution using the Rayleigh criteria. Due to the use of a powerful laser, the imaging speed would only be limited by the camera acquisition speed. With a fast camera, we expect to achieve close to 100 fps phase imaging speed that has not been achieved in current FPM imaging systems. By adding reference beam, we also expect to achieve synthetic-aperture imaging while directly measuring the phase of the sample fields. This would reduce the phase-retrieval processing time to allow for real-time imaging applications in the future.

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) has many applications in a broad range of disciplines from astronomy to microbiology. QPI is often performed by optical interferometry, where two coherent beams of light are used to produce interference patterns at a detector plane. Many algorithms exist to calculate the phase of the incident light from these recorded interference patterns as well as enhance their quality by various de-noising methods. Many of these de-noising algorithms, however, corrupt the quantitative aspect of the measurement, resulting in phase contrast images. Among these phase calculation techniques and de-noising algorithms, none approach the optimization of phase measurements by theoretically addressing the various sources of error in its measurement, as well as how these errors propagate to the phase calculations. In this work, we investigate the various sources of error in the measurements required for QPI, as well as theoretically derive the influence of each source of error on the overall phase calculation for three common phase calculation techniques: the four bucket/step method, three bucket/step method, and the Carré method. The noise characteristics of each of these techniques are discussed and compared using error parameters of a readily available CCD sensor array. Additionally, experimental analysis is conducted on interferograms to investigate the influence of speckle noise on the phase measurements of the three algorithms discussed.

Variations of the optical detection path-length in image correlation based flow-field measurements result in strong errors in position allocation and thus lead to a strong enhancement of the measurement uncertainty of the velocity. In this contribution we use digital holography to measure the wavefront distortion induced by fluctuating phase boundary, employing spatially extended guide stars. The measured phase information is used to correct the influence of the phase boundary in the detection path employing a spatial light modulator. We analyze the potential of guide stars that are reflected by the phase boundary, i.e. the Fresnel reflex, and transmitted. Our results show, that the usage of wavefront shaping enables to strongly reduce the measurement uncertainty and to strongly improve the quality of image correlation based flow-field measurements. The approaches presented here are not limited to application in flow measurement, but could be useful for a variety of applications.

Quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry (QWLSI) is a well-established quantitative phase imaging (QPI) technique based on the analysis of interference patterns of four diffraction orders by an optical grating set in front of an array detector [1]. As a QPI modality, this is a non-invasive imaging technique which allow to measure the optical path difference (OPD) of semi-transparent samples. We present a system enabling QWLSI with high-performance sCMOS cameras [2] and apply it to perform high-speed imaging, low noise as well as multimodal imaging. This modified QWLSI system contains a versatile optomechanical device which images the optical grating near the detector plane. Such a device is coupled with any kind of camera by varying its magnification. In this paper, we study the use of a sCMOS Zyla5.5 camera from Andor along with our modified QWLSI system. We will present high-speed live cell imaging, up to 200Hz frame rate, in order to follow intracellular fast motions while measuring the quantitative phase information. The structural and density information extracted from the OPD signal is complementary to the specific and localized fluorescence signal [2]. In addition, QPI detects cells even when the fluorophore is not expressed. This is very useful to follow a protein expression with time. The 10 µm spatial pixel resolution of our modified QWLSI associated to the high sensitivity of the Zyla5.5 enabling to perform high quality fluorescence imaging, we have carried out multimodal imaging revealing fine structures cells, like actin filaments, merged with the morphological information of the phase. References [1]. P. Bon, G. Maucort, B. Wattellier, and S. Monneret, “Quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry for quantitative phase microscopy of living cells,” Opt. Express, vol. 17, pp. 13080–13094, 2009. [2] P. Bon, S. Lécart, E. Fort and S. Lévêque-Fort, “Fast label-free cytoskeletal network imaging in living mammalian cells,” Biophysical journal, 106(8), pp. 1588-1595, 2014

Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) techniques developed so far primarily belongs to high speed transmitted light based systems that has enough sensitivity to resolve membrane fluctuations and dynamics, but has no depth resolution. Therefore, most biomechanics studies using QPM today is confined to simple cells, such as RBCs, without internal organelles. An important instrument that will greatly extend the biomedical applications of QPM is to develop next generation microscope with 3D capability and sufficient temporal resolution to study biomechanics of complex eukaryotic cells including the mechanics of their internal compartments. For eukaryotic cells, the depth sectioning capability is critical and should be sufficient to distinguish nucleic membrane fluctuations from plasma membrane fluctuations. Further, this microscope must provide high temporal resolution since typical eukaryotes membranes are substantially stiffer than RBCs. A confocal reflectance quantitative phase microscope is presented based on multi-pinhole scanning, with the capabilities of higher temporal resolution and sensitivity for nucleic and plasma membranes of eukaryotic cells. System hardware is developed based on an array of confocal pinhole generated by using the ‘ON’ state of subset of micro-mirrors of digital micro-mirror device (DMD, from Texas Instruments) and high-speed raster scanning provides 14ms imaging speed in wide-field mode. A common path interferometer is integrated at the imaging arm for detection of specimens’ quantitative phase information. Theoretical investigation of quantitative phase reconstructed from system is investigated and application of system is presented for dimensional fluctuations measurements of both cellular plasma and nucleic membranes of embryonic stem cells.

We have developed a model to accurately quantify the signals produced by exogenous scattering agents used for contrast-enhanced Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). This model predicts distinct concentration-dependent signal trends that arise from the underlying physics of coherence-based detection. Accordingly, we show that real scattering particles can be described as simplified ideal scatterers with modified scattering intensity and concentration. The relation between OCT signal and particle concentration is approximately linear at concentrations lower than 0.8 particles per imaging voxel. However, at higher concentrations, interference effects cause signal to increase with a square root dependence on the number of particles within a voxel. Finally, high particle concentrations cause enough light attenuation to saturate the detected signal. Predictions were validated by comparison with measured OCT signals from gold nanorods (GNRs) prepared in water at concentrations ranging over five orders of magnitude (50 fM to 5nM). In addition, we validated that our model accurately predicts the signal responses of GNRs in highly heterogeneous scattering environments including whole blood and living animals. By enabling particle quantification, this work provides a valuable tool for current and future contrast-enhanced in vivo OCT studies. More generally, the model described herein may be applied for detected signals in other modalities that rely on coherence-based detection or are susceptible to interference effects, most notably medical ultrasound. Thus, our model may enable quantitative interpretation of ultrasound contrast agents including gas-filled microbubbles.

There is a strong correlation between the dynamic membrane fluctuations and the biomechanical properties of living cells. The dynamic membrane fluctuation consists of submicron displacements, and can be altered by changing the cells’ pathophysiological conditions. These results have significant relevance to the understanding of RBC biophysics and pathology, as follows. RBCs must withstand large mechanical deformations during repeated passages through the microvasculature and the fenestrated walls of the splenic sinusoids. This essential ability is diminished with senescence, resulting in physiological destruction of the aging RBCs. Pathological destruction of the red cells, however, occurs in cells affected by a host of diseases such as spherocytosis, malaria, and Sickle cell disease, as RBCs depart from their normal discoid shape and lose their deformability. Therefore, quantifying the RBC deformability insight into a variety of problems regarding the interplay of cell structure, dynamics, and function. Furthermore, the ability to monitor mechanical properties of RBCs is of vital interest in monitoring disease progression or response to treatment as molecular and pharmaceutical approaches for treatment of chronic diseases. Here, we present the measurements of dynamic membrane fluctuations in live cells using quantitative phase imaging techniques. Measuring both the 3-D refractive index maps and the dynamic phase images of live cells are simultaneously measured, from which dynamic membrane fluctuation and deformability of cells are precisely calculated. We also present its applications to various diseases ranging from sickle cell diseases, babesiosis, and to diabetes.

The vast majority of quantitative phase imaging techniques face the same major issue of phase unambiguity. The phase of light is 2π-periodic, and as such can only be extracted in a small range of typically 0.4 µm to 0.7µm in the visible range. As most of the samples in biology and metrology are much higher, phase data is wrapped within this small range. One of the more reliant solutions of phase unambiguity is phase unwrapping, where the it is unwrapped based on the surrounding data. Unwrapping, however, works best on continuous phase changes and fails when abrupt phase jumps appear, e.g steps greater than the unambiguous range. An alternative method to overcome the unambiguous phase problem is multiplexing two wavelengths to capture the same phase image. Processing together the two phase images captured by different wavelengths can produce a new image, corresponding to a phase image with a synthetic wavelength that larger than each of the original wavelengths. This effectively enlarges the unambiguous range, making costly unwrapping algorithms redundant. We present a new dual-wavelength interferometry setup that can capture and multiplex two different phase images in an external module, portable to existing microscopy systems. The module is based on a self-interference multiplexing technique. As such, it is very flexible and can work with either transmission or reflection based microscopes. It can be used for either enlarging the unambiguous range or other dual-wavelength phase imaging applications.

Refractive-index (RI) is an inherent optical property of materials that can provide important biochemical and biophysical information about a biological sample. Optical-diffraction-tomography (ODT) is a current standard to obtain quantitative three-dimensional RI distributions, by measuring optical fields diffracted from the sample by rotated illumination beams. This method for ODT also synthetically enlarges the microscope’s lateral spatial-frequency support, and thus images the RI distribution with lateral resolution beyond the microscope's coherent diffraction limit. Fluorescence microscopy offers a complementary set of biological insights by offering imaging capabilities with molecular specificity. Analogous to ODT, super-resolution fluorescence techniques can offer these insights at spatial resolutions beyond the microscope's incoherent diffraction limit. Unfortunately, such super-resolution techniques are generally incompatible with ODT and a generalized sub-diffraction technique has been difficult to find, which hinders a cohesive, high-resolution, multimodal analysis of biological samples. We experimentally introduce, for the first time to our knowledge, a novel, high resolution, optical system that uses structured illumination (SI) to enable 3D sub-diffraction resolution imaging for both fluorescence and RI. We demonstrate sub-diffraction resolution, multimodal SI imaging of HT29 and MCF7 cells fluorescently stained for F-actin, such that the 3D RI and fluorescent distributions may offer unique, but complementary, insights into the biological samples.

Understanding volume regulation during mitosis is technically challenging. Indeed, a very sensitive non invasive imaging over time scales ranging from seconds to hours and over large fields is required. Therefore, Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI) would be a perfect tool for such a project. However, because of asymmetric protein segregation during mitosis, an efficient separation of the refractive index and the height in the phase signal is required. Even though many strategies to make such a separation have been developed, they usually are difficult to implement, have poor sensitivity, or cannot be performed in living cells, or in a single shot. In this paper, we will discuss the use of a new technique called fluorescence exclusion to perform volume measurements. By coupling such technique with a simultaneous phase measurement, we were also able to recover the refractive index inside the cells. Fluorescence exclusion is a versatile and powerful technique that allows the volume measurement of many types of cells. A fluorescent dye, which cannot penetrate inside the cells, is mixed with the external medium in a confined environment. Therefore, the fluorescent signal depends on the inverse of the object’s height. We could demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically that fluorescence exclusion can accurately measure cell volumes, even for cells much higher than the depth of focus of the objective. A local accurate height and RI measurement can also be obtained for smaller cells. We will also discuss the way to optimize the confinement of the observation chamber, either mechanically or optically.

Differential phase contrast (DPC) is a non-interference quantitative phase imaging method achieved by asymmetric optical systems. Quantitative DPC images are achieved previously with asymmetric illumination systems. However, it works well for on-focus thin samples only. Considering the limitation, we develop a pupil modulation differential phase contrast (PMDPC) imaging method. Instead of modulating the illumination, we use a spatial light modulator (SLM) to modulate a 4f imaging system’s pupil plane. When half of the pupil plane is blocked by the SLM, a phase gradient image forms on the image plane. Using two such phase gradient images captured separately by applying complementary half-circle pupils on SLM, a DPC image can be constructed that carries the sample’s phase information. A quantitative phase image of the sample can be reconstructed after a deconvolution procedure. Further, we are able to combine this quantitative phase with the sample’s intensity image to obtain the complete complex object field which then allows us to post-process the image. We report experimentally that aberrations arising from the optical elements in the system can be corrected by deconvolving the reconstructed image with a pre-calibrated pupil function. We can also digitally extend the depth of field using angular spectrum propagation algorithm. With our PMDPC imaging setup where NA equals to 0.36, a quantitative phase image with periodic resolution of 1.73µm is obtained. The depth of field for a 20x, 0.4NA objective is extended digitally by 20 times to -50~50 micrometers.

We explored photothermal quantitative phase imaging (PTQPI) of living cells with functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) utilizing a cost-efficient setup based on a cell culture microscope. The excitation light was modulated by a mechanical chopper wheel with low frequencies. Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) was performed with Michelson interferometer-based off-axis digital holographic microscopy and a standard industrial camera. We present results from PTQPI observations on breast cancer cells that were incubated with functionalized gold NPs binding to the epidermal growth factor receptor. Moreover, QPI was used to quantify the impact of the NPs and the low frequency light excitation on cell morphology and viability.

We present a novel single-pixel imaging technique that simultaneously images fluorescence and quantitative phase of an object. To extract simultaneously co-registered fluorescence and phase images, the object is illuminated by a pair of spatially coherent monochromatic laser beams with a difference in illumination spatial frequency that is swept linearly in time. One of the beams is stationary – serving as a reference beam – and propagated along the optic axis. The other beam scans through the full range of transverse spatial frequencies supported by the illumination optic – sweeping the crossing angle of the two beams incident on the specimen as a function of time. The scanned beam also has a temporal modulation carrier frequency that allows the extraction of the products of interfering fields. To record a phase image, forward scattered light from a thin object is collected in the back Fourier plane of a collection optic. Placing a narrow slit in the back Fourier plane allows the complex spatial frequency spectrum of the object amplitude transmission to be recorded in time. At each time point, the spatial frequency value corresponding to the difference in transverse spatial frequency of the illumination beams is recorded. Simultaneously, the interference of the illumination beams in the object imparts a spatial frequency pattern on the fluorescent molecule excitation and the spatial frequency of the object’s fluorescent concentration is recorded at each time step. This single-pixel imaging method allows for simultaneous acquisition of the object phase and fluorescent images by collecting spatial frequency projections in time.

The mechanisms by which cells respond to mechanical stimuli are essential for cell function yet not well understood. Many rheological tools have been developed to characterize cellular viscoelastic properties but these typically require direct mechanical contact, limiting their throughput. We have developed a new approach for characterizing the organization of subcellular structures using a label free, noncontact, single-shot phase imaging method that correlates to measured cellular mechanical stiffness. The new analysis approach measures refractive index variance and relates it to disorder strength. These measurements are compared to cellular stiffness, measured using the same imaging tool to visualize nanoscale responses to flow shear stimulus. The utility of the technique is shown by comparing shear stiffness and phase disorder strength across five cellular populations with varying mechanical properties. An inverse relationship between disorder strength and shear stiffness is shown, suggesting that cell mechanical properties can be assessed in a format amenable to high throughput studies using this novel, non-contact technique. Further studies will be presented which include examination of mechanical stiffness in early carcinogenic events and investigation of the role of specific cellular structural proteins in mechanotransduction.

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) provides label-free and real-time quantitative phase information relevant to the analysis of dynamic biological systems. A DHM based on telecentric configuration optically mitigates phase aberrations due to the microscope objective and linear high frequency fringes due to the reference beam thus minimizing digital aberration correction needed for distortion free 3D reconstruction. The purpose of this work is to quantitatively assess growth and migratory behavior of invasive cancer cells using a telecentric DHM system. Together, the height and lateral shape features of individual cells, determined from time-lapse series of phase reconstructions, should reveal aspects of cell migration, cell-matrix adhesion, and cell cycle phase transitions. To test this, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were cultured on collagen-coated or un-coated glass, and 3D holograms were reconstructed over 2 hours. Cells on collagencoated glass had an average 14% larger spread area than cells on uncoated glass (n=18-22 cells/group). The spread area of cells on uncoated glass were 15-21% larger than cells seeded on collagen hydrogels (n=18-22 cells/group). Premitotic cell rounding was observed with average phase height increasing 57% over 10 minutes. Following cell division phase height decreased linearly (R²=0.94) to 58% of the original height pre-division. Phase objects consistent with lamellipodia were apparent from the reconstructions at the leading edge of migrating cells. These data demonstrate the ability to track quantitative phase parameters and relate them to cell morphology during cell migration and division on adherent substrates, using telecentric DHM. The technique enables future studies of cell-matrix interactions relevant to cancer.

Non-invasive live cell measurements are an important tool in biomedical research. We present a combined digital holography/Raman spectroscopy technique to study live cell cultures during apoptosis. Digital holographic microscopy records an interference pattern between object and reference waves, so that the computationally reconstructed holographic image contains both amplitude and phase information about the sample. When the phase is mapped across the sample and converted into height information for each pixel, a three dimensional image is obtained. The measurement of live cell cultures by digital holographic microscopy yields information about cell shape and volume, changes to which are reflective of alterations in cell cycle and initiation of cell death mechanisms. Raman spectroscopy, on the other hand, is sensitive to rotational and vibrational molecular transitions, as well as intermolecular vibrations. Therefore, Raman spectroscopy provides complementary information about cells, such as protein, lipid and nucleic acid content, and, particularly, the spectral signatures associated with structural changes in molecules. The cell cultures are kept in the temperature-controlled environmental chamber during the experiment, which allows monitoring over multiple cell cycles. The DHM system combines a visible (red) laser source with conventional microscope base, and LabVIEW-run data processing. We analyzed and compared cell culture information obtained by these two methods.

My research focuses on the use of computation/algorithms to create new optical microscopy, sensing, and diagnostic techniques, significantly improving existing tools for probing micro- and nano-objects while also simplifying the designs of these analysis tools. In this presentation, I will introduce a set of computational microscopes which use lens-free on-chip imaging to replace traditional lenses with holographic reconstruction algorithms. Basically, 3D images of specimens are reconstructed from their “shadows” providing considerably improved field-of-view (FOV) and depth-of-field, thus enabling large sample volumes to be rapidly imaged, even at nanoscale. These new computational microscopes routinely generate <1–2 billion pixels (giga-pixels), where even single viruses can be detected with a FOV that is <100 fold wider than other techniques. At the heart of this leapfrog performance lie self-assembled liquid nano-lenses that are computationally imaged on a chip. The field-of-view of these computational microscopes is equal to the active-area of the sensor-array, easily reaching, for example, <20 mm^2 or <10 cm^2 by employing state-of-the-art CMOS or CCD imaging chips, respectively. In addition to this remarkable increase in throughput, another major benefit of this technology is that it lends itself to field-portable and cost-effective designs which easily integrate with smartphones to conduct giga-pixel tele-pathology and microscopy even in resource-poor and remote settings where traditional techniques are difficult to implement and sustain, thus opening the door to various telemedicine applications in global health. Through the development of similar computational imagers, I will also report the discovery of new 3D swimming patterns observed in human and animal sperm. One of this newly discovered and extremely rare motion is in the form of “chiral ribbons” where the planar swings of the sperm head occur on an osculating plane creating in some cases a helical ribbon and in some others a twisted ribbon. Shedding light onto the statistics and biophysics of various micro-swimmers’ 3D motion, these results provide an important example of how biomedical imaging significantly benefits from emerging computational algorithms/theories, revolutionizing existing tools for observing various micro- and nano-scale phenomena in innovative, high-throughput, and yet cost-effective ways.

Traditionally the measurement of electrical activity in neurons has been carried out using microelectrode arrays that require the conducting elements to be in contact with the neuronal network. This method, also referred to as “electrophysiology”, while being excellent in terms of temporal resolution is limited in spatial resolution and is invasive. An optical microscopy method for measuring electrical activity is thus highly desired. Common-path quantitative phase imaging (QPI) systems are good candidates for such investigations as they provide high sensitivity (on the order of nanometers) to the plasma membrane fluctuations that can be linked to electrical activity in a neuronal circuit. In this work we measured electrical activity in a culture of rat cortical neurons using MISS microscopy, a high-speed common-path QPI technique having an axial resolution of around 1 nm in optical path-length, which we introduced at PW BIOS 2016. Specifically, we measured the vesicular cycling (endocytosis and exocytosis) occurring at axon terminals of the neurons due to electrical activity caused by adding a high K+ solution to the cell culture. The axon terminals were localized using a micro-fluidic device that separated them from the rest of the culture. Stacks of images of these terminals were acquired at 826 fps both before and after K+ excitation and the temporal standard deviation maps for the two cases were compared to measure the membrane fluctuations. Concurrently, the existence of vesicular cycling was confirmed through fluorescent tagging and imaging of the vesicles at and around the axon terminals.

Breast cancer is a major public health problem worldwide, being the most common type of cancer among women according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has further stressed the importance of an early determination of the disease course through prognostic markers. Recent studies have shown that the alignment of collagen fibers in tumor adjacent stroma correlate with poorer health outcomes in patients. Such studies have typically been carried out using Second-Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy. SHG images are very useful for quantifying collagen fiber orientation due their specificity to non-centrosymmetric structures in tissue, leading to high contrast in collagen rich areas. However, the imaging throughput in SHG microscopy is limited by its point scanning geometry. In this work, we show that SLIM, a wide-field high-throughput QPI technique, can be used to obtain the same information on collagen fiber orientation as is obtainable through SHG microscopy. We imaged a tissue microarray containing both benign and malignant cores using both SHG microscopy and SLIM. The cellular (non-collagenous) structures in the SLIM images were next segmented out using an algorithm developed in-house. Using the previously published Fourier Transform Second Harmonic Generation (FT-SHG) tool, the fiber orientations in SHG and segmented SLIM images were then quantified. The resulting histograms of fiber orientation angles showed that both SHG and SLIM generate similar measurements of collagen fiber orientation. The SLIM modality, however, can generate these results at much higher throughput due to its wide-field, whole-slide scanning capabilities.

The major problem of Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) long term live cell imaging is that over time most of the tracked cells move out of the image area and other ones move in. Therefore, most of the cells are lost for the evaluation of individual cellular processes. Here, we present an effective solution for this crucial problem of long-term microscopic live cell analysis. We have generated functionalized slides containing areas of 250 μm per 200 μm. These micropatterned biointerfaces consist of passivating polyaclrylamide brushes (PAAm). Inner areas are backfilled with octadecanthiol (ODT), which allows cell attachment. The fouling properties of these surfaces are highly controllable and therefore the defined areas designed for the size our microscopic image areas were effective in keeping all cells inside the rectangles over the selected imaging period.

Measurements of biological cells during flow are highly important for medical diagnosis based on cell sorting. In the case of cell imaging during flow, very rapid image acquisition capabilities are required to enable fast cell flow for analyzing a sufficient number of cells. We present a new flipping interferometry (FI) module for simplified off-axis close-to-common-path interferometric phase microscopy. This wide-field off-axis interferometric module provides rapid quantitative phase microscopy of biological cells during flow in a microfluidic channel, with potential of integration into cell sorting devices. Various experimental demonstrations are presented.

We investigated the capabilities of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) for label-free quantification of the response of living single cells to chemical stimuli in 3D assays. Fibro sarcoma cells were observed in a collagen matrix inside 3D chemotaxis chambers with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based DHM setup. From the obtained series of quantitative phase images, the migration trajectories of single cells were retrieved by automated cell tracking and subsequently analyzed for maximum migration distance and motility. Our results demonstrate DHM as a highly reliable and efficient tool for label-free quantification of chemotaxis in 2D and 3D environments.

The cytotoxic potential of nanomaterials is commonly evaluated by different cellular endpoints as reactive oxygen species formation, cell viability or cell death. Usually these parameters are determined by intensity based optical readouts that are often influenced by nanomaterial-based interferences. Here we present Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) as a multimodal optical method, which overcomes the limitations of conventional in vitro assays based on color or fluorescence read outs. Using cell viability WST8- and cell death LDH-assay we investigated the toxic effects of two representative silver nanomaterials. Therefore, we used a matrix of four cell lines representing different organ functions. Compared to conventional toxicity assays DHM allows time resolved proliferation monitoring which is free of assay system interactions. Also, information about time-dependent mechanisms can be obtained. Additionally, we have analyzed single macrophages for refractive index, cell volume and dry mass after the incubation to cytotoxic silver spheres. The refractive index decreased dose dependent, while cell volume and dry mass stayed constant. We therefore suggest the evaluation of these parameters in cytotoxicity assessment for further evaluation of their relevance under the applied conditions. This demonstrates DHM as valuable label-free tool for nanomaterial toxicity analysis.

Beating heart cells, cardiomyocytes, are used in drug testing and have the potential for regenerative medicine. Currently their classification into atrial, nodal and ventricular subtypes is performed using destructive and tedious patch clamp measurements. We present a method for analyzing cardiomyocyte contraction cycles using diffraction phase microscopy, a fast quantitative phase imaging method based on off-axis common-path interferometry. The phase variation during the beating cycle can exceed 300 mrad in the most active regions, and is about 40 mrad on average. The phase noise is about 2 mrad per pixel, and it can be reduced by temporal averaging over multiple frames and spatial averaging over the cell. With a maximum acquisition rate exceeding 25,000 fps and with approximately 100 fps required for the characterization of cardiomyocyte motion, 250 frames can be averaged per step, reducing the temporally white noise by a factor of 16. Additional improvements can be obtained by averaging over multiple contraction cycles. Averaging over space does not reduce noise to the same extent due to low-pass spatial filtering during the phase extraction procedure. Low-pass filtering by the pinhole in the reference arm, resulting in high-pass filtering of the image, and low-pass filtering during the phase reconstruction highlight the dynamics of redistribution of dry mass within the cell during a beat cycle. Quantitative phase imaging is a promising approach for rapid, non-invasive, high-throughput characterization of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in culture, with applications to modeling of diseases with patients' specific genes, drug development, and repair of damaged heart tissue.

Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) has been an emerging optical technique for label-free imaging of three-dimensional (3-D) refractive index (RI) distribution of biological samples. ODT employs interferometric microscopy for measuring multiple holograms of samples with various incident angles, from which the Fourier diffraction theorem reconstructs the 3-D RI distribution of samples from retrieved complex optical fields. Since the RI value is linearly proportional to the protein concentration of biological samples where the proportional coefficient is called as refractive index increment (RII), reconstructed 3-D RI tomograms provide precise structural and biochemical information of individual biological samples. Because most proteins have similar RII value, however, ODT has limited molecular specificity, especially for imaging eukaryotic cells having various types of proteins and subcellular organelles. Here, we present an ODT system combined with structured illumination microscopy which can measure the 3-D RI distribution of biological samples as well as 3-D super-resolution fluorescent images in the same optical setup. A digital micromirror device (DMD) controls the incident angle of the illumination beam for tomogram reconstruction, and the same DMD modulates the structured illumination pattern of the excitation beam for super-resolution fluorescent imaging. We first validate the proposed method for simultaneous optical diffraction tomographic imaging and super-resolution fluorescent imaging of fluorescent beads. The proposed method is also exploited for various biological samples.

Pathology remains the gold standard for cancer diagnosis and in some cases prognosis, in which trained pathologists examine abnormality in tissue architecture and cell morphology characteristic of cancer cells with a bright-field microscope. The limited resolution of conventional microscope can result in intra-observer variation, missed early-stage cancers, and indeterminate cases that often result in unnecessary invasive procedures in the absence of cancer. Assessment of nanoscale structural characteristics via quantitative phase represents a promising strategy for identifying pre-cancerous or cancerous cells, due to its nanoscale sensitivity to optical path length, simple sample preparation (i.e., label-free) and low cost. I will present the development of quantitative phase microscopy system in transmission and reflection configuration to detect the structural changes in nuclear architecture, not be easily identifiable by conventional pathology. Specifically, we will present the use of transmission-mode quantitative phase imaging to improve diagnostic accuracy of urine cytology and the nuclear dry mass is progressively correlate with negative, atypical, suspicious and positive cytological diagnosis. In a second application, we will present the use of reflection-mode quantitative phase microscopy for depth-resolved nanoscale nuclear architecture mapping (nanoNAM) of clinically prepared formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. We demonstrated that the quantitative phase microscopy system detects a gradual increase in the density alteration of nuclear architecture during malignant transformation in animal models of colon carcinogenesis and in human patients with ulcerative colitis, even in tissue that appears histologically normal according to pathologists. We evaluated the ability of nanoNAM to predict "future" cancer progression in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) can be considered as a potential tool to extract important information on the refractive index of the cellular and subcellular structures. Interphase chromatin is an original biosensor, a detector of early changes in morphofunctional cell condition. The authors presented a technology of densitometric segmentation based on the quantitative phase microscopy and computed analysis of the changes in the optic density of interphase chromatin as a biosensor. The purpose of this work to evaluate the possibility of quantitative phase imaging for visualizing the nuclear proteins conformation and chromatin decondensation degree. Modification of chromatin structure, compactness of its package, and so on, are indicative of cell condition alteration and may be projected on the organism as a whole not only for the early preclinical diagnostics but also for assessment of prognosis in crisis conditions.

Vision process is ruled by several cells layers of the retina. Before reaching the photoreceptors, light entering the eye has to pass through a few hundreds of micrometers thick layer of ganglion and neurons cells. Macular degeneration is a non-curable disease of themacula occurring with age. This disease can be diagnosed at an early stage by imaging neuronal cells in the retina and observing their death chronically. These cells are phase objects locatedon a background that presents an absorption pattern and so difficult to see with standard imagingtechniques in vivo. Phase imaging methods usually need the illumination system to be on the opposite side of the sample with respect to theimaging system. This is a constraintand a challenge for phase imaging in-vivo. Recently, the possibility of performing phase contrast imaging from one side using properties of scattering media has been shown. This phase contrast imaging is based on the back illumination generated by the sample itself. Here, we present a reflection phase imaging technique based on oblique back-illumination. The oblique back-illumination creates a dark field image of the sample. Generating asymmetric oblique illumination allows obtaining differential phase contrast image, which in turn can be processed to recover a quantitative phase image. In the case of the eye, a transcleral illumination can generate oblique incident light on the retina and the choroidal layer.The back reflected light is then collected by the eye lens to produce dark field image. We show experimental results of retinal phase imagesin ex vivo samples of human and pig retina.

Imaging brain tissues is an essential part of neuroscience because understanding brain structure provides relevant information about brain functions and alterations associated with diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography exemplify conventional brain imaging tools, but these techniques suffer from low spatial resolution around 100 μm. As a complementary method, histopathology has been utilized with the development of optical microscopy. The traditional method provides the structural information about biological tissues to cellular scales, but relies on labor-intensive staining procedures. With the advances of illumination sources, label-free imaging techniques based on nonlinear interactions, such as multiphoton excitations and Raman scattering, have been applied to molecule-specific histopathology. Nevertheless, these techniques provide limited qualitative information and require a pulsed laser, which is difficult to use for pathologists with no laser training. Here, we present a label-free optical imaging of mouse brain tissues for addressing structural alteration in Alzheimer’s disease. To achieve the mesoscopic, unlabeled tissue images with high contrast and sub-micrometer lateral resolution, we employed holographic microscopy and an automated scanning platform. From the acquired hologram of the brain tissues, we could retrieve scattering coefficients and anisotropies according to the modified scattering-phase theorem. This label-free imaging technique enabled direct access to structural information throughout the tissues with a sub-micrometer lateral resolution and presented a unique means to investigate the structural changes in the optical properties of biological tissues.

Most of the quantitative phase microscopy systems are unable to provide depth-resolved information for measuring complex biological structures. Optical diffraction tomography provides a non-trivial solution to it by 3D reconstructing the object with multiple measurements through different ways of realization. Previously, our lab developed a reflection-mode dynamic speckle-field phase microscopy (DSPM) technique, which can be used to perform depth resolved measurements in a single shot. Thus, this system is suitable for measuring dynamics in a layer of interest in the sample. DSPM can be also used for tomographic imaging, which promises to solve the long-existing “missing cone” problem in 3D imaging. However, the 3D imaging theory for this type of system has not been developed in the literature. Recently, we have developed an inverse scattering model to rigorously describe the imaging physics in DSPM. Our model is based on the diffraction tomography theory and the speckle statistics. Using our model, we first precisely calculated the defocus response and the depth resolution in our system. Then, we further calculated the 3D coherence transfer function to link the 3D object structural information with the axially scanned imaging data. From this transfer function, we found that in the reflection mode excellent sectioning effect exists in the low lateral spatial frequency region, thus allowing us to solve the “missing cone” problem. Currently, we are working on using this coherence transfer function to reconstruct layered structures and complex cells.

Limited-angle optical diffraction tomography (LAODT) is a powerful tool for measuring 3D refractive index distribution in biological microsamples. However, when thick objects are measured, reconstructions are erroneous due to diffraction errors even in the case when tomographic reconstruction algorithms take into account this phenomenon. We propose a hardware-based solution which allows to change a focal plane position with a liquid tunable lens in LAODT system. For each illumination angle, projections with different focal plane positions are recorded, and thus diffraction errors in the neighborhood of these planes are minimized. In this paper, we describe a method for processing data from a varifocal tomography setup that utilizes a Generalized Total Variation Iterative Constraint algorithm.

Optical tomography in biomedical imaging is a highly dynamic field in which non-invasive optical and computational techniques are combined to obtain a three dimensional representation of the specimen we are interested to image. Although at optical wavelengths scattering is the main obstacle to reach diffraction limited resolution, recently several studies have shown the possibility to image even objects fully hidden behind a turbid layer exploiting the information contained in the speckle autocorrelation via an iterative phase retrieval algorithm. In this work we explore the possibility of blind three dimensional reconstruction approach based on the Optical Projection Tomography principles, a widely used tool to image almost transparent model organism such as C. Elegans and D. Rerio. By using autocorrelation information rather than projections at each angle we prove, both numerically and experimentally, the possibility to perform exact three dimensional reconstructions via a specifically designed phase retrieval algorithm, extending the capability of the projection-based tomographic methods to image behind scattering curtains. The reconstruction scheme we propose is simple to implement, does not require post-processing data alignment and moreover can be trivially implemented in parallel to fully exploit the computing power offered by modern GPUs, further reducing the need for costly computational resources.

We employ the pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) algorithm to model light propagation through a macroscopic scattering medium. We show that with specific amplitude and phase, light can propagate through scattering media and focus. We model explore the feasibility to propagate light the scattering medium with imprecise amplitude or phase. Based upon the numerical experiment, we analyze the degradation due to such imprecision.

Sensitivity is a critical index to measure the temporal fluctuation of the retrieved optical pathlength in quantitative phase imaging system. However, an accurate and comprehensive analysis for sensitivity evaluation is still lacking in current literature. In particular, previous theoretical studies for fundamental sensitivity based on Gaussian noise models are not applicable to modern cameras and detectors, which are dominated by shot noise. In this paper, we derive two shot noiselimited theoretical sensitivities, Cramér-Rao bound and algorithmic sensitivity for wavelength shifting interferometry, which is a major category of on-axis interferometry techniques in quantitative phase imaging. Based on the derivations, we show that the shot noise-limited model permits accurate estimation of theoretical sensitivities directly from measured data. These results can provide important insights into fundamental constraints in system performance and can be used to guide system design and optimization. The same concepts can be generalized to other quantitative phase imaging techniques as well.

Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) is a newly reported techniques that bypasses the SBP barrier of conventional microscope platforms, which gets high-resolution (HR) images with large FOV. FPM uses an LED matrix as the illuminating source of the microscope. Each lighted LED corresponds to a low-resolution (LR) image. An HR image is generated from a set of LR images by FPM. Larger illuminating angle provides higher frequency information for the HR image. Therefore, FPM increases the NA of the low-NA objective lens while maintaining the large FOV. However, the process of FPM is usually time-consuming, since typically hundreds of LR images are recorded and equally involved in the iteration to maintain the quality of reconstruction. In this paper, we proposed a method to accelerate FPM reconstructing process, called Adaptive-FPM. Inspired by the concept of “keyhole imaging” in MRI, we set an energy change threshold in the reconstruction for each LR image to decide whether the image can be skipped in current iteration or not. In this way, some images will be skipped in further iteration, and the total reconstruction time can be reduced. The method was tested by both simulated data and biomedical data, which showed that the new method led to similar results with the original FPM method, while the run-time was reduced a lot.

This paper reports the progress to develop a practical phase measuring microscope offering new capabilities in terms of phase measurement accuracy and quantification of cell:cell interactions over the longer term. A novel, low cost phase interference microscope for imaging live cells (label-free) is described. The method combines the Zernike phase contrast approach with a dual mirror design to enable phase modulation between the scattered and un-scattered optical fields. Two designs are proposed and demonstrated, one of which retains the common path nature of Zernike’s original microscopy concept. In both setups the phase shift is simple to control via a piezoelectric driven mirror in the back focal plane of the imaging system. The approach is significantly cheaper to implement than those based on spatial light modulators (SLM) at approximately 20% of the cost. A quantitative assessment of the performance of a set of phase shifting algorithms is also presented, specifically with regard to broad bandwidth illumination in phase contrast microscopy. The simulation results show that the phase measurement accuracy is strongly dependent on the algorithm selected and the optical path difference in the sample.

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) is a novel method that exploits the phase shift for the incident X-ray to form an image. Various XPCI methods have been proposed, among which, in-line phase contrast imaging (IL-PCI) is regarded as one of the most promising clinical methods. The contrast of the interface is enhanced due to the introduction of the boundary fringes in XPCI, thus it is generally used to evaluate the image quality of XPCI. But the contrast is a comprehensive index and it does not reflect the information of image quality in the frequency range. The modulation transfer function (MTF), which is the Fourier transform of the system point spread function, is recognized as the metric to characterize the spatial response of conventional X-ray imaging system. In this work, MTF is introduced into the image quality evaluation of the IL-PCI system. Numerous simulations based on Fresnel - Kirchhoff diffraction theory are performed with varying system settings and the corresponding MTFs were calculated for comparison. The results show that MTF can provide more comprehensive information of image quality comparing to contrast in IL-PCI.

Phase contrast x-ray imaging techniques have shown the ability to overcome the weakness of the low sensitivity of conventional x-ray imaging. Among them, in-line phase contrast imaging, blessed with simplicity of arrangement, is deemed to be a promising technique in clinical application. To obtain quantitative information from in-line phase contrast images, numerous phase-retrieval techniques have been developed. The theories of these phase-retrieval techniques are mostly proposed on the basis of the ideal detector and the noise-free environment. However, in practice, both detector resolution and system noise would have impacts on the performance of these phase-retrieval methods. To assess the impacts of above-mentioned factors, we include the effects of Gaussian shaped detectors varying in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) and system noise at different levels into numerical simulations. The performance of the phase-retrieval methods under such conditions is evaluated by the root mean square error. The results demonstrate that an increase in the detector FWHM or noise level degrades the effect of phase retrieval, especially for objects in small size.

Phase contrast x-ray imaging techniques have shown the ability to overcome the weakness of the low sensitivity of conventional x-ray imaging. Among them, in-line phase contrast imaging, blessed with simplicity of arrangement, is deemed to be a promising technique in clinical application. To obtain quantitative information from in-line phase contrast images, numerous phase-retrieval techniques have been developed. The theories of these phase-retrieval techniques are mostly proposed on the basis of the ideal detector and the noise-free environment. However, in practice, both detector resolution and system noise would have impacts on the performance of these phase-retrieval methods. To assess the impacts of above-mentioned factors, we include the effects of Gaussian shaped detectors varying in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) and system noise at different levels into numerical simulations. The performance of the phase-retrieval methods under such conditions is evaluated by the root mean square error. The results demonstrate that an increase in the detector FWHM or noise level degrades the effect of phase retrieval, especially for objects in small size.

Digital Image Plane Holography (DIPH) is a non-invasive optical technique which is able to recover the whole object wave. An object is illuminated and the diffused backscattered light is carried to a digital sensor by using a lens, where it interferes with a divergent reference wave with its origin in the lens aperture plane. Selecting each aperture image in the Fourier plane, the amplitude and the phase of the object beam are obtained. If two holograms are recorded at different times, after a small displacement, the reconstructed intensity distributions can be taken as a speckle field, while the phase difference distribution can be analyzed by an interferometric approach. In this work scattering media are investigated by using digital holography. The aim of this paper is to determine the viability of the technique to characterized optical properties of the sample. Different scattering media are modeled with different scattering properties. Each model generates a speckle pattern with different statistical properties (size, contrast, intensity). Both the visibility of the interferometric fringes and the properties of speckle pattern are related with optical properties of the media such as absorption and scattering coefficient. The ability to measure these properties makes the technique a promising method for biomedical applications.

We have developed a prototype of a low-cost and versatile 3D-printed perfusion chamber for digital holographic microscopy (DHM) of primary neurons in culture. The imaging chamber is 3D-printed in biocompatible plastic. It is easily convertible between a closed configuration, for refractive index - cellular thickness decoupling, and an open configuration, for electrophysiology. In the closed arrangement, the imaging volume is small, allowing a rapid laminar flow with a fast turnover for an optimal implementation of the decoupling procedure. This paper highlights especially the challenges faced while designing and prototyping the 3D-printed closed perfusion chamber with a small imaging volume for DHM. As all 3D-printed mechanical parts were initially leaking because of internal porosities, we developed a simple sealing protocol using acetone vapors to smooth surfaces. Using this protocol, almost all mechanical parts were successfully sealed. Therefore, the production process of the actual prototype, i.e. the 3D printing and the sealing method, is satisfactory for our target application in the field of microfluidics.

Not only static characteristics but also dynamic characteristics of the red blood cell (RBC) contains useful information for the blood diagnosis. Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) can capture sample images with subnanometer scale depth resolution and millisecond scale temporal resolution. Various researches have been used QPI for the RBC diagnosis, and recently many researches has been developed to decrease the process time of RBC information extraction using QPI by the parallel computing algorithm, however previous studies are interested in the static parameters such as morphology of the cells or simple dynamic parameters such as root mean square (RMS) of the membrane fluctuations. Previously, we presented a practical blood test method using the time series correlation analysis of RBC membrane flickering with QPI. However, this method has shown that there is a limit to the clinical application because of the long computation time. In this study, we present an accelerated time series correlation analysis of RBC membrane flickering using the parallel computing algorithm. This method showed consistent fractal scaling exponent results of the surrounding medium and the normal RBC with our previous research.