Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum (Bochum, Germany) leveraged label-free QCL-IR imaging to classify for the first time between two sub-types of colorectal cancer referred to as microsatellite instable (MSI) and microsatellite stable (MSS). In a 100 patient study, which did not rely on the use of tissue micro arrays, the researchers were able to achieve 100% sensitivity and 93% specificity. This work paves the way for rapid and cost-effective candidate screening for immunotherapy treatments.
Researchers at Columbia University (New York, USA) have developed a series of novel engineered small molecule IR-active probes for highly-specific metabolic imaging. This technique is providing new insights into drug metabolic activity and disease progression in cells and tissues.