Center Overview

Center Mission

Our mission is to pioneer flexible, fiber-coupled microendoscopes, scalable microsystem scan mechanisms, and intelligent computational tools that enable high-resolution, real-time visualization of biological processes at the cellular and subcellular levels in living organisms.

We strive to:

• Empower collaborative and service projects (CPs/SPs) across the nation with transformative imaging solutions tailored to diverse biomedical challenges.

• Train the next generation of engineers, scientists, and clinicians through accessible, inclusive, and comprehensive educational programs delivered both online and in person.

• Disseminate Center technologies and software through open access platforms and commercialization efforts, ensuring wide adoption and sustained impact.

• Bridge the gap between engineering and biology by fostering innovation at the interface of microsystems fabrication, optical instrumentation, and image analysis.

By enabling unprecedented access to live tissue imaging and supporting a national network of investigators, the Center aims to accelerate discovery, improve diagnosis, and shape the future of personalized medicine

National Impact of the Center

The Center will advance new imaging methodologies to increase the scientific understanding of biological mechanisms, improve methods for disease diagnosis, and validate therapeutic efficacy.  National impact will be generated from dissemination of microsystems devices, fiber-coupled microendoscopes, and computational tools for in vivo imaging to a diverse set of CP/SPs.  These technologies will meet the growing need for greater focus control, higher bandwidth, and multiplexed detection. 

The Center has three cores: Scientific, Administrative and TTD Program