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Werner Gellermann, Ph.D.

Research Professor

Department of Physics, University of Utah

Center for Biomedical Optics

Dixon Laser Institute, University of Utah

Novel Raman Spectroscopy and Raman ImagingNovel, high-brightness blue-green light sourcesNovel light source for PDTExisting laser technologies

FundingNational Institutes of Health,State of UtahSpectrotek, LLC

TechnologiesPersonnelWerner Gellermann, Ph.D.Igor Ermakov, Ph.D.Robert McClaneMaia ErmakovaSteven WintchTige CookLihong JinMohsen Sharifzadeh

Paul Bernstein, Ph.D, M.D.Da-You Zhao, M.D.Prakash Bohsale

Biophotonics

• Bio = Living Organism

• Photon = Light

• Biophotonics = Measuring living organisms with light

• The future of health tests

– blood sugar

– bilirubin

– antioxidant defense

Vibronic Energy Levels

Laser light

Raman scattered light

Raman ScatteringSir C. V. Raman, Nobel Prize in Physics

1930

Raman spectrum of carotenoids

Raman measurements of lutein and zeaxanthin in the living human retina

Raman Instrument

Healthy retina

Age (years)

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Co

un

ts (

me

an

+ S

D)

-500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Raman results:

Decline of carotenoids with age

Vision with AMD

Normal vision

Measuring Skin Carotenoid LevelsExposure time ……………. 20 sec

Laser …………….488 nm; 5 mW

Laser light spot diameter …. 2 mm

Intensity at skin …. 0.16 W/cm2

Radiant exposure about 1500 times lower that AINSI safety limit

Raman measurements of group of 1266 subjects

Mean: 19,281Std.Dev.: 8,769N = 1,266

Num

ber

of S

ubje

cts

Skin carotenoid Raman signal, a.u.

Feasible to assess carotenoid content in large numbers of subjects; field studies

Study correlation between disease and tissue carotenoid antioxidant levels

Study bioavailability, uptakes, correlation with blood levels, etc.

Future• Use portable Raman carotenoid scanner in epidemiological

and clinial studies to determine correlation between carotenoid levels in tissue and risk for diseases.

• Novel, noninvasive biomarker for fruit and vegetable uptake (NIH grant for collaboration between University of Utah and Yale University; start date: Spring 2003; contact Pharmanex for Details)