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First Advisor

Dr. Irene Georgakoudi

First Advisor Department

Department of Engineering Sciences—Thayer School of Engineering

Abstract

The primary aim of this project is to improve and justify biophotonic approaches to label-free, non-invasive cancer detection, particularly within the context of peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer often metastasizes to the peritoneum, resulting in microanatomical changes in collagen and elastin fiber direction and density. While prior research has provided insights regarding collagen density changes in other types of cancer, peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer remain minimally characterized, particularly in regards to elastin fibers. Preliminary results suggest that there is a difference in the elastin and collagen contents of healthy and cancerous tissues and that these contents differ in fresh, fixed, and stained human tissues. By obtaining images and conducting analysis on 2PF and SHG signals, which exploit the intrinsic autofluorescence of elastin fibres and the second harmonic generation of collagen respectively, the unique properties of collagen and elastin architecture within peritoneal metastases can be established, justifying the functionality and practicality of endoscopic cancer detection.

Publication Date

2026

Density and fiber alignment of the fibrous extracellular matrix in ovarian cancer metastases

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