Brillouin Micro-spectroscopy has gained significant interest in the past decade as part of the broader field of optical elastography, enabled by advancements in instrumentation, analysis, and use of correlative approaches. BM is an all-optical technique that maps the three-dimensional viscoelastic properties – i.e. stiffness and viscosity – of materials on a micro-scale using light scattered from sound waves (acoustic phonons). This allows for the investigation of live cells, tissues, and entire organisms with unprecedented detail, without requiring any physical contact, transducers, or external agents. Thus providing a new contrast mechanism in biomedical studies.

BM applications in biomechanics and mechanobiology have led to the discovery of novel features and mechanisms, highlighting the significance of mechanical properties measured with subcellular resolution in biological processes and disease diagnosis.

In my lecture, I will cover the fundamentals of BM and my team’s work in laying the bases for the application of BM in biology and medicine. I will highlight the latest advancements, emphasising the BM’s unique capabilities [1], perspectives [2], and progress towards unified instrument development [3].

References

[1] M. Bailey et al. Sci. Adv. 2020, 6, eabc1937

[2] G. Antonacci et al. Biophys. Rev. 2020, 12, 615-624

[3] P. Bouvet et al. Nature Photonics, in press, DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01681-6