Technologies based on light have the potential to revolutionize early detection and treatment strategies for breast cancer. Light is safe (non-ionizing radiation) and low cost compared to existing imaging modalities such as mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Light is unique in that it can unravel physiology and structure of cancer by interacting with a large number of biological molecules that are already present in the breast. Light can also be used to detect optically labeled probe molecules (antibodies, peptides, etc) that specifically bind to over expressed molecular targets in cancer cells within the breast. Additionally, the molecules that are present in breast tissue or those that are added to the breast to provide optical contrast can be detected rapidly and non-destructively from human tissues. Thus, compelling reasons exist to exploit light based technologies for the eradication of breast cancer.

Our vision for the eradication of breast cancer is to harness the power of light to create “miniature and molecularly specific optical technologies” to unravel the earliest signs of cancer, and/or molecular targets methods for therapy. The optical technology will be designed to detect physiological, structural and molecular alterations that accompany the transformation of a cell from a normal to malignant state. The technology development will build on advances in tissue optics and optical instrumentation design, advances in nanoscale sensing devices and the recent discovery of new breast cancer-related genes, proteins and biomarkers.