Graduate Research; Rebane Lab (MSU)

Aug. 2012 - Apr. 2016

In Dr. Aleksander Rebane’s lab I co-invented and optimized a wide field-of-view two-photon imaging system capable of capturing the two-photon excited fluorescence of ~10 cm-sized samples. We used this new imaging system combined with automated image analysis techniques I developed to evolve the two-photon brightness of fluorescent proteins commonly used in two-photon microscopy and neurological imaging studies. These brighter fluorescent proteins improve the imaging depth possible with two-photon microscope systems. We also utilized our two-photon imaging technique to image fluorescently stained latent fingermarks. We found that two-photon imaging provides a significant advantage when dealing with fingermarks on high contrast backgrounds like aluminum cans. I was also a part of other nonlinear optics based research projects including, two-photon spectroscopy, ultrafast photochemistry characterization, and two-photon microscopy.