Projects
ERC Starting Grant: NaNoLens project [Lensless microscopy]
NaNoLens project aims to develop lensless holotomographic nanoscopy in deep UV (DUV) for imaging living cells with high resolution, without the use of fluorescent markers. While the lensless technique enables a large field of view, current systems have limited spatial resolution. Using the DUV band with low illumination intensity we will overcome these limitations, enabling submicron-level imaging. The project’s innovation lies in applying DUV not for sterilization but for non-invasive studies of extracellular vesicle dynamics in living cell cultures, opening new opportunities for understanding and utilizing them. NaNoLens combines bioimaging, computational microscopy, and digital holography to create a compact, easy-to-implement tomography system for large volumes (lensless and dye-free), capable of functioning both in and outside the laboratory.
Project Manager: prof. Maciej Trusiak
NaNoLens Team: PhD Mikołaj Rogalski, MSc Piotr Arcab, BSc Karolina Niedziela, BSc Julia Dudek
Cooperating institutions:
- Group of PhD Marzena Stefaniuk from Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAN
- Group of PhD Luiza Stanaszek from Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences
- Group of prof. Vincente Micó Serrano from University of Valencia, Spain
- Group of prof. Chao Zuo from Smart Computational Imaging Lab z Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China
- Group of prof. Balpreet Ahluwalii from The Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø)
NCBR LIDER: µHOLO project [Lensless microscopy]
Full project title: “Lensless holographic microscope enabling high-throughput, label-free studies of biomedical samples”. The goal of the μHOLLO project is to develop a new product – a lensless holographic microscope (LHM) that enables rapid and non-invasive analysis of large measurement volumes for biomedical applications, such as histopathological analysis of tissue sections and phenotyping and counting cells without the need for staining (a costly and time-consuming process harmful to living samples). By not using a microscope objective, the LHM is free from limitations of the field of view, depth of focus, and aberrations associated with imaging optical elements. The LHM is based on Gabor holography, which works well for weakly scattering objects but struggles with analyzing thicker samples that carry critical three-dimensional information about the studied object. The innovation of the planned new product lies in the use of illumination with a tailored degree of spatiotemporal coherence and wavelength, as well as new holographic reconstruction algorithms specialized for biological objects.
Project Manager: prof. Maciej Trusiak
µHOLO Team: PhD Julianna Winnik, PhD Mikołaj Rogalski, PhD Paweł Matryba, MSc Emilia Wdowiak
Cooperating institutions:
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAN
IDUB Young PW: INHOLO project [Inline holography]
Full project title: “Comparative analysis and hybrid method proposal of Gerchberg-Saxton and Transport of Intensity Equation algorithms for phase reconstruction from defocused images in digital in-line holographic microscopy”. One of the main challenges of modern microscopy is the observation of transparent objects. Among the techniques enabling their imaging, phase imaging (PI) techniques provide high measurement accuracy, without the need to interfere with the object under study. PI methods rely on the estimation of the phase delay of light passing through the sample, usually using the interference of object and reference beams (interferometry, holography). Other PI methods are intensity based, including transport of intensity (TIE) and on-axis Gabor holography (GH). Both of them recover phase from defocused images and can be implemented in identical on-axis digital holographic microscopy (DHM) systems. The main difference between them is the defocusing distance, which for the TIE method should be smaller (around in-focus distance) than for GH (usually above 50 μm). Additionally, the number of images needed for correct phase reconstruction is an important factor. For TIE, at least 2 images with different defocus must be collected, while the GH method allows reconstruction from a single hologram. However, such reconstruction will be subject to the so-called twin-image effect, which may be minimized by collecting at least 2 axially separated holograms and then applying the iterative Gerchberg-Saxton (GS) algorithm. Despite the significant similarities between these methods, a comprehensive comparison of them has not yet been proposed. So far, several hybrid algorithm solutions combining the TIE and GS approaches have also been proposed. However, due to the limitation to one of the regimes (small defocus – TIE, or larger – GS), they have not allowed to unleash the full potential of hybrid operation of both methods. The goal of the INHOLO project is to conduct a comparison between the above-mentioned algorithms in order to determine their optimal working regimes and to propose the novel hybrid method, combining TIE with GS allowing for better reconstruction.
Project Manager: prof. Michał Józwik
INHOLO Team: PhD Mikołaj Rogalski, MSc Piotr Arcab
Cooperating institutions:
- Group of prof. Vincente Micó Serrano from University of Valencia, Spain
NCN Sheng 3: [TRUE_OPI]
Project Manager: prof. Małgorzata Kujawińska
TRUE_QPI Team: prof. Maciej Trusiak, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski
NCBR LIDER: WUTScope-FPM project [Fourier Ptychography Microscopy]
Project Manager: PhD Piotr Zdańkowski
WUTScope-FPM Team: PhD Maksymilian Chlipała, PhD Maria Cywińska, MSc Piotr Arcab
NCN Preludium BIS: BayesOM project [Bayesian inference]
Full project title: “Bayesian inference in optical metrology”. The BayesOM project aims to develop a new field method for optical metrology in the semiconductor industry. Instead of the traditional approach requiring the acquisition of multiple phase-shifted interferograms, we propose using algorithmic phase demodulation based on a single fringe image. The innovative aspect lies in the application of Bayesian inference, enabling precise estimation of the geometric parameters of structures such as waveguides. Unlike classical methods based on Fourier or Hilbert transforms, our approach achieves sub-pixel accuracy while minimizing errors in areas with abrupt height changes. Combining this technique with a precision interferometer could theoretically provide sensitivity at the level of single angstroms. The planned research includes both simulations and experiments with various Bayesian models to improve measurement accuracy under challenging conditions.
Project Manager: prof. Maciej Trusiak
BayesOM Team: MSc Damian Suski
Cooperating institutions:
- Group of prof. Balpreet Ahluwalii from The Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø)
NCBR: INTENCITY project [Coherent microscopy & tomography]
Full project title: “High-throughput, high-resolution quantitative phase microscopy and tomography using coherence engineering”. Cells are the fundamental units defining the structure and functions of living organisms. This project addresses one of the key challenges in cell research: rapid and non-destructive imaging of entire cell populations with subcellular accuracy. The project focuses on developing new fundamental theories, optoelectronic systems, and reconstruction algorithms to enable label-free, high-resolution quantitative phase imaging (2D imaging) with a large field of view and refractive index tomography (3D imaging). These will be based on the engineering of illumination coherence (synthesizing coherent and incoherent light techniques). The goal is to experimentally and numerically drive improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio and overcome classical information throughput limitations of currently available commercial phase microscopy systems.
Project Manager: prof. Maciej Trusiak
INTENCITY Team: prof. Michał Józwik, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski, PhD Julianna Winnik, PhD Mikołaj Rogalski
Cooperating institutions:
- Group of prof. Chao Zuo from Smart Computational Imaging Lab z Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China
NCN Miniatura: Pol-PHASE project [Quantitative phase imaging]
Project Manager: PhD Piotr Zdańkowski
NCN Preludium: inPHASE project [Computational microscopy]
Project Manager: PhD Maria Cywińska
NCN Sheng 3: TRUE_OPI [Quantitative phase imaging]
Project Manager: prof. Małgorzata Kujawińska
TRUE_QPI Team: prof. Maciej Trusiak, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski, PhD Wojciech Krauze, PhD Arkadiusz Kuś
SONATA: GaboScope project [Lensless microscopy]
We started realization of a project “[GaboScope] Numerically enhanced lensless Gabor microscopy for high-throughput marker-free investigation of dynamic live biosamples“ funded (1,5 mln PLN) for 3 years (2021-2024) by National Science Center, Poland via SONATA programme. Principal investigator Maciej Trusiak and GaboScope Team are proud to cooperate with prof. Vicente Micó group (University of Valencia, Spain), prof. Chao Zuo group (Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China) and prof. Balpreet Ahluwalia group (The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso).
GaboScope Team: PhD Julianna Winnik, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski, MSc Mikołaj Rogalski, MSc Piotr Arcab, and PhD Maciej Trusiak
Interested in cooperation? Please contact us at maciej.trusiak@pw.edu.pl
OPUS: PHAICELL [Digital Holographic Microscopy]
We started realization of a project “[PHAICELL] Coherent quantitative phase microscopy: revisiting the basics and proposing novel numerical reconstruction methods with applications for advanced label-free bio-imaging” funded (2 mln PLN) for 4 years (2021-2025) by National Science Center, Poland via OPUS programme. Principal investigator Maciej Trusiak and PHAICELL Team are proud to cooperate with prof. Vicente Micó group (University of Valencia, Spain), prof. Chao Zuo group (Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China) and prof. Balpreet Ahluwalia group (The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso).
PHAICELL Team: Professor Michał Józwik, PhD Julianna Winnik, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski, MSc Maria Cywińska, MSc Mikołaj Rogalski, BSc Paweł Gocłowski, BSc Jędrzej Szpygiel and PhD Maciej Trusiak
Interested in cooperation? Please contact us at maciej.trusiak@pw.edu.pl
OPUS: [Digital Holographic Microscopy]
We started realization of a project “Numerically advanced phase and amplitude demodulation for optical interference microscopy and tomography“ funded (1.3 mln PLN) for 3 years (2018-2021) by National Science Center, Poland via OPUS programme. Principal investigator Maciej Trusiak.
PHAICELL Team: Professor Michał Józwik, PhD Julianna Winnik, PhD Piotr Zdańkowski, MSc Maria Cywińska, MSc Mikołaj Rogalski, BSc Paweł Gocłowski, BSc Jędrzej Szpygiel and PhD Maciej Trusiak
Interested in cooperation? Please contact us at maciej.trusiak@pw.edu.pl