ABSTRACT
Fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy is a highly active area of biomedical research operating at t he interface between physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and medicine. It fundamentally investigates the interaction between light and matter and o ers several unique advantages, in particular:
High resolution• : approximately 200 nm for a conventional uorescence microscope [1]. Sensitivity• : single molecule detection is possible [2]. Specifi city• : probes exist that can speci cally target a w ide range of biological molecules, ions, and other compounds [1]. In addition, it is possible to probe the interaction between many compounds, using techniques such as uorescence r esonance en ergy t ransfer ( FRET), a nd p umpprobe spectroscopy [3]. In vivo• : many techniques are applicable to in vivo imaging, enabling an unparalleled view into the detailed interworking of complex biological phenomena.
