Multiscreen
Responsible:
Collaboration with Academic Institutions and Research Centres
-
Start date: 2014-05-26
Length: 24 months
Project abstract
Multiscreen is a research project leaded by the Italian company Micro Photon Devices (MPD) in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano (Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria - DEIB), Cambridge University (Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology) and EURAC (Center for Biomedicine).
Aim of the project funded by the Autonoma Provincia di Bolzano is to develop a system for imaging live cells that is simultaneously spectrally and time resolved. Based on a laser-scanning confocal microscope coupled with a multi-pixels single-photon detection module, such a system can represent a technological breakthrough for the investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in many diseases and for the evaluation of the effects of potential drugs.
In particular, during the project, the multi-parametric screening system will be used to investigate the aggregation mechanisms of a protein, the alpha-synuclein, which plays a crucial role in Parkinson’s disease. The role of researchers at DEIB is to develop the whole detection module, from the silicon chip for the detection of single-photons, to the microelectronic circuits for signal processing, to the electronic boards for data acquisition and interfacing. In particular, the custom detector technology developed at DEIB’s SPADlab will be exploited to develop an array of 32 Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) with good photon detection efficiency (50% at a wavelength of 500nm) and high temporal resolution (time jitter lower than 100ps).
The detectors’ module will be coupled with the acquisition electronics that will time-stamp and store the arrival time of every single photon at a rate as high as a few MegaCounts per second for each detection channel.
Aim of the project funded by the Autonoma Provincia di Bolzano is to develop a system for imaging live cells that is simultaneously spectrally and time resolved. Based on a laser-scanning confocal microscope coupled with a multi-pixels single-photon detection module, such a system can represent a technological breakthrough for the investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in many diseases and for the evaluation of the effects of potential drugs.
In particular, during the project, the multi-parametric screening system will be used to investigate the aggregation mechanisms of a protein, the alpha-synuclein, which plays a crucial role in Parkinson’s disease. The role of researchers at DEIB is to develop the whole detection module, from the silicon chip for the detection of single-photons, to the microelectronic circuits for signal processing, to the electronic boards for data acquisition and interfacing. In particular, the custom detector technology developed at DEIB’s SPADlab will be exploited to develop an array of 32 Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) with good photon detection efficiency (50% at a wavelength of 500nm) and high temporal resolution (time jitter lower than 100ps).
The detectors’ module will be coupled with the acquisition electronics that will time-stamp and store the arrival time of every single photon at a rate as high as a few MegaCounts per second for each detection channel.