How Biophotonics Is Revolutionizing Medicine and Biology

Light is integral to daily life in labs and office buildings. Watching it interact with organisms sets the foundation for biophotonics, a critical application within life sciences. How is biophotonics revolutionizing biology and medicine? Here is what you need to know about this fascinating field.

What Is Biophotonics?

Biophotonics fuses biology and photonics to manipulate light. Researchers in this field study light’s interactions with your body’s cells and tissues. This biological field is relatively new, gaining traction in the mid-20th century. Modern scientists recognize Britton Chance as the founder because of his six decades of dedicated research.¹

The work of Chance and other researchers has integrated biophotonics into daily life. For instance, this field has led to barcode scanners and digital cameras at stores. You see biophotonics in laser eye surgery and optical imaging at a healthcare facility. Light manipulation also monitors blood oxygen levels and other critical metrics.

How Biophotonics Is Revolutionizing Medicine and Biology

Advancements in biophotonics make your life easier, whether working in a grocery store or a hospital. How have they altered the life sciences? Here is how biophotonics is revolutionizing medicine and biology.

1. Fluorescence Imaging

Noninvasive methods have emerged because they can provide excellent details for life science researchers and facilitate patient care. Another prominent example in modern biophotonics is fluorescence imaging. This technique lets you see what happens inside living organisms despite low concentrations. There are a few ways to introduce this critical technique, emphasizing its importance.

Fluorescence imaging is a vital aspect of biophotonics because it can easily target specific sections of cells and tissues. While it has become standard for modern researchers, fluorescence imaging is improving among the life sciences. For instance, a 2022 Biophysical Reviews article said benchmark improvements and image standardization are critical to this field.²

Case Study

There are essential divisions to understand within fluorescence imaging. For instance, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence aids tissue visualization and tumor resection surgery. NIR research has focused on the conventional window, but a 2021 Small Methods study examined NIR-II fluorescence imaging and its effects on penetration depths.³ 

NIR-II imaging has been critical to aiding cancer surgeries and localizing treatment. This method also enhances anatomical mapping and depicting organismal structures. In this study, the researchers found that NIR-II fluorescence imaging aids tissue penetration and improved resolution. It can also help during operations by navigating tumor lesions and detecting boundaries.³

2. Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is one way to study tissues and cells. This technique is valuable because it is less destructive than other methods and aids disease detection. With Raman spectroscopy, you scatter light to see the photon’s energy shift. It would help if you had a laser beam, a lens, and a monochromator to use this technology properly.

Biophotonics’ role in Raman spectroscopy centers on the light sources and wavelengths necessary for each experiment. Recent advancements in this field have led to 2D and 3D hyperspectral ferroelectric domain orientation. Plus, researchers can use advanced filters to reduce their low-throughput monochromators.⁴

Case Study

Recent Raman spectroscopy advancements have made this sector’s future bright. What is next for life science researchers? Experts say enhancing detection sensitivity is critical for this technique when conducting biological and medicinal research.⁵

A 2022 Journal of the American Chemical Society review found surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) increased sensitivity when examining low-concentration molecules. However, it is not easy to measure them due to Raman’s peaks.⁵

The review also found Raman spectroscopy conducive to chemical proteomics. Researchers leveraged Raman screening to locate specific peptides inside targeted proteins. With SERS, they formed a more stable silver acetylide and reduced the time needed to obtain Raman spectra.⁵

3. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

OCT is another worthwhile noninvasive imaging approach. You do not have to use X-rays to generate high-resolution images of tissues with this technique. OCT sends a beam across your tissues and measures how much light bounces off it. The primary use of OCT is to image your eye, as healthcare providers use it to understand your retina.

The light element of OCT emphasizes how important biophotonics is to the life sciences. Harnessing and manipulating light allows healthcare providers to incorporate biophotonics in their patient diagnoses. While OCT is standard in ophthalmology, there are other fields in which you could experience it. For instance, cardiologists and dermatologists use it for evaluations.

Case Study

This biophotonics segment benefits dentistry professionals as they investigate your teeth and mouth for diseases. For example, a dentist might use biophotonics through photobiomodulation and ozone treatment. A 2022 Applied Sciences in Oral Health and Clinical Dentistry study found these methods impactful for scaling and root planning (SRP).⁶   

The researchers also examined OCT for dental professionals, as it’s recently become popular. While traditional practices can be helpful, the study concluded OCT provided exemplary resolution, sensitivity, and overall best results. These researchers also demonstrated the benefits of photoelasticity and interferometry to underscore biophotonics.⁶

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Analysis 

AI advancements demonstrate how biophotonics is revolutionizing medicine and biology through new technologies. Market research shows AI in healthcare had a $19.27 billion value in 2023 and will increase by 38.5% this year.⁷

Through AI, researchers can enhance images during research and make their projects more manageable. Reducing the noise within images makes object identification more manageable when scrutinizing individual cells. Another advantage of this technology is its rapid isolation capabilities. Machine technology enables researchers to accelerate their processes.

A significant benefit of AI is recognizing patterns from giant amounts of data. In only a short time, this technology can extract pertinent sections of images and help researchers with analysis. With AI, biophotonics can lead to enhanced cancer detection and drug discovery.

Case Study

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says Americans reported 1.77 million new cancer cases in 2021.⁸ Detecting these diseases is integral to treating people and improving their quality of life. Life science researchers can use AI to wield biophotonics to examine tumors and eliminate cancerous cells.

How can biophotonics aid this critical process? Researchers in a 2022 Frontiers in Physiology study said this technique can reduce the effects of anti-cancer treatments and improve current surgical procedures. Healthcare providers can leverage laser technology to tackle tumor masses with less bleeding and pain.⁹

These biophotonics advancements also reduce costs for healthcare providers and patients. The researchers said miniaturized light sources help medical doctors in cancer screenings and increase efficiency. Therefore, your results are more accurate when distinguishing malignant tissues and staging cancers.⁹

5. Machine Learning (ML) in Biophotonics 

ML — a subset of AI — is another integral part of biophotonics, biology, and modern medicine. This idea improves healthcare systems by efficiently performing tasks and enhancing accuracy. How have life science researchers integrated ML with biophotonics? While image enhancement has been critical, there are other superb accomplishments.

For example, consider ML with data analysis. With this AI subset, life science professionals can leverage historical data to predict outcomes in disease diagnosis accurately. Scientists could use techniques like Raman spectroscopy and ML to collect information. Then, the researchers let the machine process it and extract the most relevant information.

Case Study

ML has helped scientists answer questions about cells, drugs, infections, and other critical aspects. Within biophotonics, these life science researchers expect significant opportunities to advance this field in the next few years. A 2023 International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) study found ML applies to cell imaging and treatment.¹⁰ 

With ML, the researchers had an easier time classifying and detecting diseased cells in their point-of-care settings. Differentiating them from normal cells is critical because the last thing you want is misinterpretations. The researchers used continuous spectra and found these biophotonic advancements more accessible and faster than traditional uses.¹⁰

“Applications of machine learning in biophotonics are already providing the answer in many ways, and through it, there is the potential to fully transform healthcare in the future,” the researchers said. ¹⁰

6. Surgical Precision

Humans have been in charge of surgery since the beginning, but robots could be next in line for these procedures. Why have machines been a significant part of operations? Suppose you need a knee replacement. Surgeons use 2-4 millimeter increments to decide where to cut. However, a robot can increase the accuracy to under a half-millimeter increment.¹¹

How does biophotonics factor into modern surgeries? Fluorescence imaging improves image resolution, and robotic assistance can increase precision. Accuracy is critical to these operations because surgeons need measurements for 3D models. Robotic assistance has made this process more accessible.

Case Study

When removing a tumor, you may need a partial nephrectomy. This operation only removes the necessary amount of tissue to leave your organs as intact as possible. Research has experimented with biophotonic guidance during operations to increase precision. A 2024 European Urology Focus study explored the surgical strategy. 

The researchers found biophotonics was excellent during operations to aid decision-making. It was especially conducive to partial nephrectomies to assist the surgeon during the procedure’s most complicated steps. While effective, the study emphasized the limitations of cost and clinical implementations.¹²

Discovering How Biophotonics Is Revolutionizing Medicine and Biology

While biophotonics is relatively new, it is changing how life scientists approach their research. Healthcare providers can use this technique for noninvasive procedures and excellent imaging. Researchers have demonstrated biophotonics in various segments, such as surgery and ophthalmology. These advancements show that the future of this field is bright.

Biophotonics provides benefits like enhanced accuracy in procedures and cancer detection. Continued innovation means healthcare providers gain better insight into cells, whether in your eyes, skin, heart, or other organs. The rise of AI and ML has also been integral to biophotonics, demonstrating how it is revolutionizing medicine and biology.

Sources

1. The International Society for Optics and Photonics. Britton Chance: Biophotonics visionary, Olympic gold medalist and inspiring mentor
2. Sasaki, Akira. Recent advances in the standardization of fluorescence microscopy for quantitative image analysis. Biophys Rev. 2022;14(1):33-39. doi: 10.1007/s12551-021-00871-0
3. Yang, Rui-Qin, et. al. Surgical Navigation for Malignancies Guided by Near-Infrared-II Fluorescence Imaging. Small Methods. 2021;5(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202001066
4. Deluca, Marco, et. al. Advantages and developments of Raman spectroscopy for electroceramics. Commun Mater 4. 2023;78. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-023-00400-4
5. Dodo, Kosuke. Raman Spectroscopy for Chemical Biology Research. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022;144(43):19651-19667.https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c05359
6. Daghigh Ahmadi E, Hafeji S, Khurshid Z, Imran E, Zafar MS, Saeinasab M, Sefat F. Biophotonics in Dentistry. Applied Sciences. 2022; 12(9):4254. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094254
7. Grandview Research. AI In Healthcare Market Size.
8. Centers for Disease Control. Cancer Data and Statistics.
9. Ankur, Gogoi, et. al. Editorial: Biophotonics for cancer diagnostics and treatment. Front. Phys. 2022;10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2022.977683
10. Ndlovu, S.C., Mthunzi-Kufa, P. Machine learning in biophotonics: progress and challenges. Proc. SPIE 12446, Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation III. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2662811
11. Fondren Orthopedic Group. What is Robotic-Assisted Surgery?
12. Egen, Luisa, et. al. Biophotonics—Intraoperative Guidance During Partial Nephrectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. European Urology Focus. 2024;10(2):248-258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euf.2024.01.005