Photoacoustic imaging allows researchers to peer deeply into the tissue of living animals in real time. It involves sending high-frequency pulses of light into tissue and detecting the resulting ultrasonic signals to create two- and three-dimensional images. Photoacoustic imaging has been used to measure blood-oxygen levels in tissues, monitor the growth of tumors and metastases, and for functional brain imaging.

Vladislav Verkhusha, Ph.D., has received a $1 million, 2.5-year grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support his research to develop a comprehensive set of photoacoustic tools and techniques to achieve cellular level resolution at tissue depths of several centimeters. These tools and approaches include genetic near-infrared photochromic photoacoustic probes, acoustic-tunnel enhanced light delivery, and differential photoacoustic imaging.

If this initial phase is successful, the researchers will receive an additional $10 million in funding to further advance and commercialize their work. Dr. Verkhusha is professor of anatomy and structural biology and the Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center at Einstein.