Biocavity laser for high-speed cell and tumour biology

Through recent interdisciplinary scientific research, modern medicine has significantly advanced the diagnosis and treatment of disease. However, little progress has been made in reducing the death rate due to cancer, which remains the leading cause of death in much of the world. Pathologists rely on microscopic examination of cell morphology using methods that originated over a hundred years ago. These staining methods are labour-intensive, time-consuming, and sometimes in error. New micro-analytical methods for high speed (real-time) automated screening of tissues and cells could advance pathology and minimize cancer deaths. By teaming experts in physical/chemical sciences and engineering with those in medicine, it may be possible to develop micro-analytical cell spectral/imaging techniques to rapidly distinguish normal and abnormal cells. In this paper, we review the physics and applications of the biocavity laser which may enable these advances in the near future.