Advancing Metabolic Understanding Through Photothermal Infrared Microscopy in Biomedical Research

Metabolic processes are key to understanding biological systems and the mechanisms of disease. Exploring these pathways provides critical insights into cellular function and dysfunction across various pathologies. Recent advancements in optical imaging have significantly enhanced our ability to study metabolism with high specificity and resolution. Among these, mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) imaging has emerged as a powerful tool. This label-free technique captures the inherent vibrational signatures of chemical bonds while using photothermal effects to enhance spatial resolution in mid-IR imaging. MIP enables sub-micrometer, depth-resolved visualization of live cells and organisms, making it a valuable approach for metabolic studies. In this presentation, I will highlight recent developments in MIP technology and its application to metabolic research, focusing on key areas such as microbiology, stem cell biology, and neurodegeneration. These advances illustrate MIP’s potential to drive novel insights and breakthroughs in the study of cellular metabolism.