Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscope

• Subject Area: Neurosciences
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 546053402

The treatment of (malignant) brain tumors is one of the big challenges of modern medicine. In order to be able to remove the tumors as completely as possible on the one hand and on the other hand to be able to completely preserve the function of the brain tissue, such as motor function, sensitivity or speech, an intraoperative differentiation between tumor tissue and healthy, functional brain tissue is necessary. This often cannot be reliably guaranteed under the operating microscope despite the experience of the neurosurgeon, and thus up to now reliance has had to be placed on preoperative imaging diagnostics as well as intraoperative methods such as neuronavigation, electrophysiology or fluorescence labeling of tissue. A reliable and rapid intraoperative determination of the exact tumor-brain boundary would be crucial for the success of the resection. Furthermore, after removal of the abnormal tumor tissue, in addition to the question of remaining residual tumor tissue, the question of the exact histological, molecular biological and genetic profile of the tumor cannot be clarified immediately (duration of intraoperative histology is about 30-45 minutes, duration of definitive tumor histology or biology is several days). The aim here is therefore the research and development of intraoperative histological, molecular and genetic diagnostics and sensor technology for oncological precision surgery. This will be achieved by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons (neurosurgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery), neuropathologists, neuroanatomists and chemists/vibrational spectroscopists working together in the newly founded Center of Advanced Surgical Tissue Analysis (CAST). Of particular importance within the project is stimulated Raman spectroscopy, which will be performed with the proposed device (Leica Stellaris-CRS), which is currently unique in its functions and applications.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Stimuliertes Raman Streuungs-Mikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 5090 Spezialmikroskope
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Leader: Professor Dr. Jürgen Beck