Light can detect cancer in seconds 鈥� 糖果派对 researchers behind new technology
The future of cancer diagnosis could become faster and more precise thanks to a research team led by the University of Southern Denmark (糖果派对), which uses invisible light and artificial intelligence to detect diseases before symptoms appear.
"We are working on making it possible for a simple beam of light to detect cancer before it can spread. No more weeks of waiting for a biopsy to be analyzed in a laboratory. Instead, doctors could get an answer within seconds."
That's according to Professor Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi from 糖果派对. He is leading the 糖果派对 part of OPTIPATH project, which combines optical metasurfaces, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence to identify diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's much earlier than current diagnostic technologies allow.
"It's a completely new way of looking at biopsy samples," says Bozhevolnyi, a pioneer in nanophotonics.
"By analyzing how light interacts with tissue, we can detect diseases before they become visible on traditional scans."
Light as a diagnostic tool
The technology is based on an advanced understanding of light. Light scatters and is absorbed in unique ways, when it penetrates biological tissue. Cancer cells alter the optical properties of tissue, meaning they scatter and polarize light differently than healthy cells.
"We measure the scattering and polarization of light in seven dimensions," Bozhevolnyi explains.
"It sounds complex, but in practice, it means we can capture extremely subtle changes in tissue that may indicate early-stage diseases."
From the laboratory to hospitals
Today, it takes from days to weeks to receive results from a cancer biopsy. But with OPTIPATH, the answer could be available in just seconds. A sample from the patient is placed in a small device where light is passed through it and analyzed using AI.
"This means that a general practitioner or a nurse could make a precise diagnosis without sending samples to a laboratory," says Bozhevolnyi.
The next step is to implement the technology in the healthcare system. While this goal is still a distant one, Bozhevolnyi remains highly optimistic about the long-term impact of the technology:
"We have achieved something unthinkable just a few years ago. Now, it's about getting the technology into the hands of those who need it. When a technology is good enough, it finds its way into the system."
Fact box:
Professor Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi has worked with light and nanotechnology for over three decades and is one of the world's leading researchers. Read more about Bozhevolnyi here.
OPTIPATH has been developed from the previous MetaHiLight project by taking the technology one step further. The key OPTIPATH feature is hyperspectral 7D imaging, using special optical metasurfaces and MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) to create a new generation of medical imaging scanners.
How Does OPTIPATH Work?
鉁� Uses light to analyze tissue in 3D
鉁� Captures subtle optical changes in diseased cells
鉁� Integrates AI for rapid analysis
鉁� Can reduce diagnosis time from weeks to seconds
鉁� Goal: To make the technology portable and globally accessible
The technology is attracting attention far beyond Denmark. The project has secured millions in funding from the EU's EIC Pathfinder program, which supports radically new technologies with the potential to change the world. OPTIPATH was selected from over 1,100 project applications and was among only 45 projects to receive funding.
Collaborating institutions include SINTEF in Norway, the University of Oslo, the University of Oulu in Finland, and Aston University in the UK, where AI experts are helping refine the algorithms, while Danish company NIL Technology () leads commercialization of the project outcomes.