Live imaging module for organoids

Introduction

The increased use of organoids (22% growth rate market) creates a new need: methods of rapid high throughput screening of the organoids for quality control in the case where they are to be used as graft tissues or in drug screening trials. At the same time, it is essential that these methods do not damage the organoids so that they may be used for grafting or followed up long term for therapy efficacy evaluation or disease modeling applications.

Current Challenges

Current imaging methods for organoids do not meet this need as they are invasive and cause damage to the sample.

Proposed Solution

Our team of experts in optics and biology proposes a modular solution to live image 2D and 3D cell models with an unprecedented resolution and without the use of any kind of marker over a multiple week time span.

Dynamic Full Field Optical Coherence Tomography (DFFOCT)

Dynamic Full Field Optical Coherence Tomography (DFFOCT) is a non-invasive, 3D, label-free, live, long-term, high-resolution, modular imaging system, for which we own two patents.

• It is an interferometric technique where the image contrast is generated by movements of subcellular organelles such as mitochondria.
• This produces a quantitative colormap linked to cell activity.

Project Overview

The present Proof of Concept project “LiveOrg” seeks to valorize the live imaging method developed for retinal organoids in ERC Consolidator “Optoretina” and disseminate this technology to a wide audience outside the retina, including:

1. Cancer
2. Neurology
3. Gastroenterology
4. Hematology
5. Development

Project Goals

The LiveOrg project specifically aims to:

• Consolidate the team by hiring an engineer dedicated to the design, construction, and installation of DFFOCT modules.
• Duplicate the DFFOCT module.
• Install the modules at KOL (Key Opinion Leader) sites.
• Acquire and analyze data with these modules in concertation with the KOLs to disseminate results.

Anticipated Outcomes

Thanks to this project, we anticipate that we may attract interest from investors, which would allow us to create a startup. We also foresee potential interest from known microscope manufacturers who could distribute our modules or to whom we could license our patents.