Color coded surgery: Molecules that make tumors and vital nerves light up with florescent colors

Dr. Quyen T. Nguyen is an Assistant Professor in the UCSD Department of Surgery. Nguyen demonstrates how a molecular marker can make tumors light up in neon green, showing surgeons exactly where to cut, as well as marking nerves to allow surgeons to  help doctors avoid accidentally severing nerves during surgery and minimize the risk of post-operational numbness and paralysis. 

Nguyen uses molecular probes that make tumors -- and just the tumors -- glow, as an extraordinary aid to surgeons.  Dr. Nguyen has been awarded a 5-year NIH grant to study the use of molecular fluorescence imaging to guide surgeons in tumor surgery. Using “smart” probes that can differentiate tumor from normal tissue, the goal of this grant is to develop a system that allows surgeons to see the margin between tumor and normal tissue in real time during surgery.  

Courtesy Quyen T. Nguyen M.D. Ph.D/University of California San Diego

Meanwhile, according to Discover Magazine, "...another fluorescent tool stands to help diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels without the painful finger pricks. University of Tokyo engineer Shoji Takeuchi and his team developed microscopic fluorescent beads that bind to glucose. In tests in mice, the beads glowed through the animals’ skin under ultraviolet light, varying in brightness as blood glucose levels changed. Takeuchi notes that in humans, a single injection of the beads could last more than a month, and a wearable monitoring device could periodically shine UV light on the skin to measure glucose levels. “We want to make it small enough to wear as an earring,” he says."