3D printed optical tweezers and curved SERS substrates on multi-core optical fibers for cell manipulation and sensing

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is each year responsible for around 10 million
deaths worldwide. The burden of cancer is expected to continue to increase over the coming
decades. Therefore, developing effective methods for the characterization of cancer cells is crucial in
gaining a comprehensive understanding of cancers and developing targeted therapeutic approaches.
Single-cell analysis allows for the identification and characterization of individual cancer cells,
providing a more comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity that exists within a tumor.
Recently, optical trapping and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) have gained attention
as promising techniques for the study of cancers at single-cell level. However, conventional trapping
and SERS techniques relying on objective lenses require bulky instrumentation. Therefore we will
develop in this project a novel lab-on-fiber that utilizes waveguides and freeform-based optical
trapping modules, as well as curved SERS substrates, all 3D printed on specialty multi-core
doubleclad fiber. Lab-on-fiber devices have the advantage of being compact and integrated, allowing
for remote operation. They can also enable high-resolution measurements of samples in real-time,
making them ideal for cancer cell analysis. Such a platform offers a promising avenue for biomedical
applications, providing a versatile tool for noninvasive, high-sensitivity detection and manipulation of
individual cancer cells.