Professor Ji-Xin Cheng of Boston University

Chemical microscopy utilizing fingerprint spectroscopic signals is able to map the chemical contents temporally and spatially. Such capacity opens a new window to visualize the orchestra of molecules and/or biological structures inside living systems. My research team is dedicated to pushing the boundary of chemical microscopy in the entire spectrum of molecular spectroscopy, discovering molecular signatures in diseases, and translating label-free techniques to clinic for molecule-based precision diagnosis or treatment. I will present various advanced modalities of chemical microscopy, discoveries of hidden signatures in living organisms, and translation into clinic for molecule-based diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, I will present harnessing photons for sensitizer–free eradication of pathogens and transfection-free optoacoustic stimulation of neurons in brain.