Faculty members Mark Pierce (left-BME) and Waheed Bajwa (below-ECE) have received a $360k / 3-year research grant from the National Science Foundation to pursue a multidisciplinary project entitled “Signal processing – optics co-design for in vivo optical biopsy.” The project will integrate novel approaches in optical imaging hardware and signal processing algorithms to deliver cellular-level images from intact tissue in living patients.
Through this technology, a doctor could perform a biopsy (i.e. potentially on cancerous tissue) without having to remove any tissue from the body. This would be less invasive and would likely cut down on the costs of medical care.
“Professors Bajwa and Pierce are developing a technology with great potential to help cancer patients by reducing the need for invasive biopsies and improving treatment through enhanced diagnostics, said Athina Petropulu, Rutgers School of Engineering, Professor and Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. "This technology could improve the quality of life for cancer patients while positively impacting the cost of medical care.”