Optical Polarimetric Modalities for Biomedical Research

This book focuses on polarization microscopy, a powerful optical tool used to study anisotropic properties in biomolecules, and its enormous potential to improve diagnostic tools for various biomedical research. The interaction of polarized light with normal and abnormal regions of tissue reveals structural information associated with its pathological condition. Diagnosis using conventional microscopy can be time-consuming, as pathologists require an hour to freeze and stain tissue slices from suspected patients. In comparison, polarization microscopy more quickly distinguishes abnormal tissue and provides better microstructural information of samples, even in the absence of staining. This book provides a basic understanding of the properties of polarized light, a description of the polarization microscope, and a mathematical formalism of Mueller matrix polarimetry. The authors discuss various advanced linear and nonlinear optical techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), reflectance and transmission spectroscopy, fluorescence, multiphoton excitation, second harmonic generation, Raman microscopy, and more. They explore the exciting potential of integrating polarimetry with these techniques for possible applications in different areas of biomedical research, as well as the associated challenges. Including the most recent developments on the topic, this book serves as a modern guide to polarization microscopy and advancements in its use in biomedical research.

Dr. Nirmal Mazumder is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, India. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2013 from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan. From 2013 to 2016, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia, the USA, and the Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy. He has been developing nonlinear optical microscopes, including two photon fluorescence, second harmonic generation, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering for biomedical applications. His research interests include development of microscopy-spectroscopy techniques, biomedical devices, biophotonics, smart materials, microfluidics and its biomedical applications. He has published more than 70 research articles in the peer-reviewed international journals, 7 books, 30 book chapters, and several poster/oral/invited presentations in National and International conferences. He is working on several national and bilateral research projects funded by Government of India as Principal Investigator. He is also working as the reviewer/guest editor/associate editors in several prestigious journals. He is the member of several national and international scientific societies and organizations including, the Optical Society (OSA) (Senior member), SPIE—the International Society for Optical Engineering (Senior member), Society of Biological Chemists (I) (Life Member), Environmental Mutagen Society of India (Life Member), Asian Polymer Association (Life Member). 

Prof. Yury V. Kistenev is a professor in the Department of Physics at Tomsk State University (TSU) and serves as the head for the Laboratory of Biophotonics. He received his Ph.D. in Optics in 1987 and his Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics in 1997. Prof. Kistenev is the author of more than 150 journal papers and has written two book chapters. His current research interests include laser molecular imaging, laser spectroscopy, and machine learning.

Dr. Ekaterina G. Borisova serves as the head of the Biophotonics Laboratory at the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IE-BAS). She received her M.S. degrees in Medical Physics and Laser Physics from Sofia University in 2000 and her Ph.D. in Physics from IE-BAS in 2005. Her recent investigations cover the field of biophotonics, including molecular spectroscopy of biological samples, photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy, optical techniques such as fluorescence, diffuse reflectance, Raman spectroscopy, absorption and transmission spectroscopy, and the microscopy of biological tissues for diagnostics of socially significant diseases. She also studies the polarimetry of histological samples for prospective and retrospective analysis of tumors, as well for the development of novel photonic sensors for biomedical applications. Dr. Borisova is a co-author of more than 150 articles, 8 book chapters, and 5 patents in the field of biophotonics and it applications. She also works as a reviewer and guest editor for several prestigious journals in the field of optics and biomedical photonics. She is a member of more than 50 international organizations and a senior member of SPIE and OSA. Dr. Borisova received the Grand Prix "Pythagoras" award in 2012 from the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science for her research results in the field of photonics and development of noninvasive methods for early diagnosis of cancer. She also received the national L’Oréal-UNESCO award "For Women in Science” in 2014 for her investigations in the field of polarization-sensitive fluorescence detection of cancer.

Dr. Shama Prasada K. is a cell and molecular biologist working in the area of cancer epigenetics. Currently, Dr. Shama is an associate professor at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, School of Life Sciences and is the head of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. He obtained his M.S. in Biosciences from Mangalore University and his Ph.D. from Manipal University. Dr. Shama’s research expertise lies in identifying the epigenetic changes responsible for carcinogenesis, translating clinically relevant biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic use, and delineating key cell and molecular events responsible for carcinogenesis. He uses cell lines, the nude mice model, and genome editing technologies to understand the regulation and biological function of DNA methylation regulated genes and miRNAs in the pathophysiology of cervical cancer. Dr. Shama served as an editorial manager for the Public Health Genomics Journal published by Karger Press. He currently serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Genetics, Frontiers in Oncology, and BMC Medical Genomics as well as an academic editor for PlosOne. Dr. Shama is a member of the Indian Society of Mitochondrial Research in Medicine (SMRM-India) and the Indian Society of Biological Chemists. His research has generated 84 publications, 3 book chapters, 2 general articles, 7 conference proceedings, 2 patents, and 52 invited presentations at international conferences.