The Transformative Role of Biophotonics in Rapid, Real-Time, and in Situ Studies of Microbial Structure, Cellular Processes, and Interactions
Zeeshan Zafar Iqbal
Photonics and optical technologies provide powerful, noninvasive means to study microorganisms, including those that remain unculturable, by detecting light signals arising from specific structural and biochemical features. These include intrinsic chromophores such as aromatic amino acids, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride, and flavins; spectral signatures of functional groups in proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids; refractive index contrasts from cell walls and organelles; and scatterin