DKK 21 million for an interdisciplinary project on new diagnostics

The project, called nanoRaman, brings together researchers, clinicians and companies from across the entire value chain. Participants include the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Odense University Hospital (OUH), DFM Danish Fundamental Metrology at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) - as well as companies specialising in optics and spectroscopy. Collaboration between research, clinical practice and industry is key to taking the technology all the way from idea to application.

If the project succeeds, it could provide doctors and researchers with a new tool that reduces analysis time in the laboratory and supports decision-making on treatment. The project also aims to improve patient pathways, reduce delays and make better use of healthcare resources.

Research groups from both the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science at SDU, as well as OUH, are involved in the project. The project is part of Innovation Fund Denmark’s Grand Solutions programme.

Collaboration between research and clinical practice drives new diagnostics

SDU contributes advanced microscopy and artificial intelligence, while OUH tests the technology on clinical samples.

– Through two previous EU projects, we have explored the use of Raman spectroscopy for diagnostic purposes together with the project team. It has been exciting but also challenging to collaborate across such different disciplines and across hospital, university and industry, says Thomas Emil Andersen, professor at the Department of Clinical Research and Odense University Hospital.

– But it is when this kind of collaboration succeeds that we can push the boundaries of what is technologically possible and, therefore, diagnostically. In the new project, we are taking an important step forward towards real clinical application.

New technology could provide faster answers

The project will develop a method that can identify signs of disease rapidly and precisely – without the use of dyes or chemical markers. The method is based on Raman spectroscopy, a technology that reads a sample’s chemical ‘fingerprint’ without adding dyes or chemicals.

– At SDU, we will help link the new nanoRaman technology with advanced microscopy and artificial intelligence. This allows us to analyse biological samples without staining and detect changes in the chemical composition and structure of cells. In the long term, it may help provide faster and more precise answers in diagnostics, says Jonathan Brewer, professor and head of Bioimaging at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark.

In the nanoRaman project, Raman spectroscopy is combined with so-called photonic nanojets, which can focus light with extreme precision. The aim is to create a form of super-resolution Raman microscopy that allows researchers to detect chemical and structural details in biological samples that are normally difficult to detect with traditional microscopes.