We have developed a mesoscopic partial wave spectroscopy (PWS) technique to measure the nanoscopic light transport properties of weakly disordered dielectric mesoscopic systems such as biological cells. Using mesoscopic approach, we have statistically quantified the light reflection coefficient and its correlation due to nanoscale refractive index fluctuations within a biological cell, and the results are consistent with the prediction of mesoscopic/nanoscopic light transport theory. Finally, using these parameters, we have imaged and quantified the nanoscale optical disorder strength within the biological cell. Results of precancerous cell studies and cancer detection show the potential application of the technique .

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Rrepresentative Publications

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1. Mesoscopic light transport properties of a single biological cell : Early detection of cancer
   Prabhakar Pradhan, Yang Liu, Young Kim, Xu Li, Ramesh K. Wali, Hemant K. Roy, Vadim Backman
   Proc. American Physical Society March Meeting;   ( pdf )
   
   
2. Optical methodology for detecting histologically unapparent nanoscale consequences of genetic alterations in biological cells
   H. Subramanian, Prabhakar Pradhan, Y. Liu, I. Capoglua, X. Li, J. Rogers, A. Heiftez, D. Kunte, H. K. Roy, A. Taflove, and V. Backman
   Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA (PNAS) 150, 20124 (2008)
   Link to the journal   /   PDF
   
   
   
   
3. Partial wave microscopic spectroscopy detects sub-wavelength refractive index fluctuations: an application to cancer diagnosis
   Optics Letters, 34, (2009) ;   ( pdf )
   
   
   
   
4. Nanoscale Cellular Changes in Field Carcinogenesis Detected by Partial Wave Spectroscopy
   Cancer. Res. 69, 5357(2009) ;   ( pdf )