# Development of a Fast Large Area Multiphoton Exoscope (FLAME)

> **NIH NIH R43** · INFRADERM, LLC · 2020 · $263,074

## Abstract

Summary. Our long-term goal is to develop a powerful tool based on multiphoton microscopy (MPM) for non-
invasive human skin imaging in order to improve clinical diagnosis, guide effective treatment and advance
clinical and cosmetic/pharmaceutical research by providing access to dynamic cellular and molecular
processes during therapy. MPM is a nonlinear optical imaging technique that provides unique structural and
molecular contrast based on endogenous signals such as second harmonic generation from collagen and two-
photon excited fluorescence from NADH/FAD+, keratin, melanin and elastin fibers. This contrast allows MPM
to provide multi-color, rich molecular information content images that can enhance diagnostic accuracy. MPM
overcomes fundamental limitations of existing optical imaging technologies for sub-surface skin imaging and
extends the area of applicability beyond skin lesions that can be diagnosed through morphological assessment
alone. Validation of the clinical potential of this technology has been facilitated over the past 10 years by a
device developed by Jenlab in Germany, currently the only clinical MPM system on the market. This device
has technical limitations in terms of field-of-view (FOV), imaging speed, complexity and cost, which are major
barriers to clinical adoption. The goal of this Phase I proposal is to develop and test the technical feasibility for
in vivo human skin imaging of a MPM system that is highly optimized for rapid, label-free, macroscopic imaging
of human skin with microscopic resolution. The Fast Large Area Multiphoton Exoscope (FLAME) imaging
platform will incorporate the innovative optical engine of a benchtop prototype developed at BLI. InfraDerm will
innovate on this design to transform it into a compact, portable device, suitable for human skin imaging in
clinical setting. Key innovations include: 1) a compact engineering design based on integrating a compact fs
fiber laser into the imaging head along with a customized folded optical design to reduce complexity and cost
and enhance portability; 2) hardware and software strategies that include a customized patient interface and a
combination of optical and mechanical scanning mechanisms with deep learning image restoration to allow
millimeter-to-centimeter scale imaging within minutes while maintaining sub-micron resolution. This approach
will expand the in vivo imaging area from mm to cm scale, which will be scanned within minutes with sub-
cellular resolution. In Aim 1 we will develop the FLAME prototype that incorporates these features. In Aim 2 we
will test its technical feasibility for in vivo human skin imaging by evaluating potential effects of motion artifacts.
In Aim 3, we will demonstrate the FLAME system potential for non-invasive assessment of melanin content, an
ability with potential impact in differential diagnosis and early assessment of treatment efficacy of pigmentary
skin disorders, such as melasma. Phase II will refine the technolog...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10153566
- **Project number:** 1R43EB030931-01
- **Recipient organization:** INFRADERM, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexander Fast
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $263,074
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-22 → 2021-12-21

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10153566

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10153566, Development of a Fast Large Area Multiphoton Exoscope (FLAME) (1R43EB030931-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10153566. Licensed CC0.

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