Light microscopic characterization of complex dynamic processes in and between cells in a 3-dimensional context is still a domain of the relatively expensive confocal laser scanning microscope. By developing a 3-D reader platform based on innovative technology approaches the "3 D Tissue-Screen" research network wants to exceed the performance of current high-end 3-D microscopes and also design a much cheaper product. Potential applications for the technical innovation are in the areas of medicine and ecology.

Both the human genome and also the genomes of representative eukaryotic organisms are now fully sequenced. The aim of molecular biological research is now, on this basis, to develop an understanding of the complex cellular functions that decide on the health or sickness of an organism. For this purpose it is necessary to investigate the functional organization of the relevant molecules and understand them as elements of complex networks and interactions. However, characterization of this sort is possible only by examining living cells and also requires a three-dimensional method of observation.

Previous methods for fluorescence-optical 3-D characterization of living cells have been based either on confocal laser scanning technologies or they use a Nipkow disk and CCD cameras. However, both systems are designed only to complement conventional microscopes and have the disadvantage that they are very complicated, expensive and generally not suitable for high sample throughput. Besides, confocal laser scanning microscopes are not really suitable for use in a medical-clinical environment. They have also proved to be rather unsuitable in the area of biotechnology, where the aim is to gain and process accessible data through automation alone.

Against this background the 3-D- Tissue-Screen research network – involving, among others, TILL Photonics GmbH, TOPTICA Photonics AG, Arivis GmbH and PicoQuant GmbH as well as three German universities – wants to develop concepts for a 3-D reader platform designed for high throughputs. For this purpose the researchers are developing innovative technology approaches that they plan to combine with already established but previously extremely complex technologies. The aim is to achieve or even exceed the performance of current high-end 3-D microscopes.

The platform technology on which the cooperation partners of the research network are working is based on innovative detector and fiber laser technologies, which will be used to improve sensitivity into the range of individual molecule detection. The aim is to increase selectivity by means of high spectral resolution. The scientists plan to increase sample throughput with a rapid scanning process and the occasional use of parallel detection. They will also use digital-holographic 3D measuring methods which serve to improve the contrast, the resolutions and the speed (high content high throughput screening).

Many users in medical and industrial areas will benefit from the results from the research network. Potential applications are investigative processes in the area of heart muscle cell cultures and bladder endoscopy but also 3-D tissue investigation on plant root cells for environmentally friendly pest control.

The cooperation partners in the network plan to continue working together after the project ends in 2009; the aim being continuous further development and finding new combinations of all the technologies researched in the project.