In the field of clinical mycology, the precise and rapid identification of fungal species is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of infections. In this context, the newly appointed Dr. Anderson Ramos Carvalho, from the Institute of Chemistry at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in his postdoctoral project supervised by Dr. Marco Flôres Ferrão, utilized a low-cost multispectral microscope developed by OpenScience to capture digital images of pathogenic yeasts.
The study, titled "Use of Digital Images Associated with Chemometrics for the Identification and Characterization of Fungi," was conducted in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at UFRGS and funded by CNPq and INCT Bioanalitica - CNPq. The research aimed to use digital images combined with chemometric tools for the differentiation and classification of various Candida species, such as C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, and C. glabrata, directly on Petri dishes with the help of the multispectral microscope developed by OpenScience.
Multispectral Microscope
The equipment developed by OpenScience is equipped with a telecentric lens and 24 LEDs ranging from 380 nm to 1050 nm. The image below shows the Multispectral Microscope and an image of Candida krusei illuminated by the 530 nm LED.
Promising Results
The results of the analyses showed that different Candida species exhibited distinct spectral profiles, facilitating their identification. The methodology allowed for non-destructive and contact-free analysis of the colonies, significantly improving the speed and reliability of the process.
Academic Recognition
Professor Dr. Anderson Ramos Carvalho highlighted the importance of the technology provided by OpenScience in his presentation at the 9th School of Bioanalytics at Unicamp. He emphasized that "the multispectral camera allowed for the analysis of each colony-forming unit individually, thanks to the image magnification, providing a non-destructive and contact-free method with the sample." This recognition underscores OpenScience's commitment to advancing scientific research through accessible and high-performance technologies.
Acknowledgments and Future Perspectives
OpenScience thanks Professor Dr. Marco Flôres Ferrão for supervising the postdoctoral research and Professor Dr. Anderson Ramos Carvalho for developing the research with the low-cost multispectral microscope. Our company remains dedicated to providing innovative technologies that drive scientific research and contribute to the academic community, always aiming for the democratization of technology.
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