At HILIGHT, we are pioneering a new diagnostics and biomedical research era. Our mission is to develop a highly integrated and versatile laser system that will overcome the current barriers of two-photon microscopy, enabling scientists and clinicians to see more, faster and deeper than ever before. We are creating tools that will accelerate life-saving diagnoses and unlock new avenues of scientific discovery.
The Challenge: Beyond the Limits of Current Technology
Two-photon microscopy is a powerful technique that allows for high-resolution, deep-tissue imaging. However, its widespread use in clinical and research settings has been held back by significant limitations. State-of-the-art systems are often costly, bulky, and too slow for rapid diagnostic applications like intra-operative tumour margin analysis. This technological gap means that the full potential of advanced microscopy to provide instantaneous, life-saving information remains untapped.
Our Innovation: A Leap in Speed, Power, and Accessibility
The HILIGHT project directly addresses these challenges by developing a compact, cost-effective, and exceptionally powerful suite of technologies. By combining a novel semiconductor laser source with a next-generation sensor and innovative imaging protocols, we are building a system designed for unprecedented speed and sensitivity.
Our approach is built on three pillars of innovation.
I. A Versatile, High-Performance Light Source
At the heart of our project is a new monolithically integrated laser. This isn’t just another laser; it’s a miniaturised, highly efficient source capable of producing on-demand bursts of high-energy picosecond pulses. This versatility, which integrates functions that would normally require multiple bulky components, will allow users to perfectly tailor the light source to their specific imaging needs, from fluorescent dyes in digital pathology to photo-activation in cutting-edge research.
Read more…
II. A sensitive, High-Speed Digital Detector
A revolutionary light source needs a detector that can keep up. We are developing a custom CMOS-based digital sensor capable of capturing and processing photons at unparalleled speeds—up to 8 million pixels per second. The sensor utilises a smart, time-gated photon counting approach to handle vast amounts of data without creating a bottleneck, ensuring that the rich information from fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) is captured with an exceptional signal-to-noise ratio.
Read more…
III. Innovative Imaging and Application Development
Groundbreaking hardware is only part of the solution. We are developing new acquisition protocols and data analysis frameworks to unlock the full potential of our technology. By optimising everything from the laser pulse timing to the final image reconstruction, we are ensuring that the HILIGHT system is not only powerful but also user-friendly and produces clear, actionable results.
Read more…
Real-World Impact: Our Use Cases
The technologies developed in HILIGHT will be validated in two transformative use cases.
- Disrupting Digital Histopathology: We aim to radically shorten the time for cancer diagnosis. Traditional histopathology can take days, a critical delay when a surgeon needs to know if they have successfully removed all of a tumour. The HILIGHT system is being integrated into a platform that will generate high-resolution, H&E-like digital images of tissue in minutes, enabling rapid on-site evaluation in the operating theatre. This could dramatically reduce the need for follow-up surgeries, saving costs and, most importantly, improving patient outcomes and well-being.
- Empowering Biomedical Research: Beyond the clinic, the HILIGHT system will be a versatile tool for the laboratory. Its capabilities will enable researchers to investigate the molecular mechanisms of disease with greater clarity, for example, by studying single-cell biochemistry or controlling cellular processes with light (optogenetics) in 3D cultures. This will open new frontiers in cancer research, neuroscience, and cell biology.
A Collaborative Vision
The HILIGHT consortium brings together leading experts from across Europe, covering the entire value chain from fundamental semiconductor physics and engineering to end-use in clinical pathology and biomedical research. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that our innovations are not only technologically advanced but also perfectly aligned with the real-world needs of users.
HILIGHT 