Faculty Post-Docs Grad Students Staff
 

Paul J. Campagnola

 

University of Connecticut Health Center

Assistant Professor of Cell Biology  
Farmington, CT 06030-1507
Campagnola Lab Web Page  
Telephone: (860)679-4354
 
Fax: (860)679-1039
   
 


Research Interests
Loew
The complexity of current problems in biophysics and cell biology increasing require chemical and physical-based methods to glean meaningful solutions. Central to this approach is the development of new technologies. Research efforts in my lab are directed at further developing nonlinear optical spectroscopy and microscopy methods to address problems related to structural protein arrays (e.g. collagen, and acto-myosin complexes). One long-term goal is to disseminate new tools for high resolution clinical imaging applications that are more powerful than current methods. We are also developing new optical methods for nano/microfabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds. The group currently works on the following three projects

1) Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) imaging of tissues
We are developing SHG imaging microscopy as an “optical biopsy” tool to differentiate normal and diseases states. Since SHG is highly sensitive to the supramolecular structure of structural protein arrays, this imaging modality is a powerful approach to this problem. A central theme of this project is to develop a thorough understanding of the underlying chemical and physical properties that give rise to the SHG. This information then guides us to the appropriate optical signatures in assessing diseased tissues. We are currently focusing on muscular and skeletal disorders including aging and Osteogenesis Imperfecta, respectively. Through quantitative SHG measurements, we have observed that this technique provides clear delineation in these pathologies, and suggests its use as a clinical diagnostic tool.

2) Multiphoton excited (MPE) nano/microfabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds
A major challenge in tissue engineering is the fabrication of multiscale (i.e. Extra Cellular Matrix-cell-tissue) scaffolds that provide the topographic and biochemical ECM cues found in native tissue such as skin. To solve this problem, we use MPE photochemistry to fabricate synthetic ECMs directly from structural proteins including collagen, fibronectin, and laminin. The approach is analogous to that of two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy, but rather than imaging plane by plane, we exploit the multiphoton confinement of the excitation to the focal plane to nano/microfabricate 3-D structures. The project entails development of new optical instrumentation to replicate the complex structure of the native ECM, physical and chemical characterization of the scaffolds, as well as developing a fundamental understanding of the topographic and biochemical factors that are responsible for cell differentiation and new tissue synthesis.

3) MPE Intracellular Nanofabrication
A new project uses multiphoton excited photochemistry to fabricate structures inside live cells as a means of studying spatially localized signaling events. We can fabricate walls, channels, and corridors directly from cytoplasmic proteins. Our results indicate that these structures form effective barriers to diffusion. In collaboration with Dr. Vladimer Rodionov’s group, we will use this method to examine microtubule dynamics in fibroblasts.

Selected Publications
R. LaComb, O. Nadiarnykh, S. Townsend, and P.J. Campagnola, “Phase Matching considerations in Second Harmonic Generation from tissues: Effects on emission directionality, conversion efficiency and observed morphology, Optics Comm, 281, 1823-1832 (2008).

R. LaComb, O. Nadiarnykh, and P.J. Campagnola, “Second Harmonic Generation imaging of osteogenesis imperfecta: experiment and simulation”, Biophys. J., 94, 4504-4514 (2008).

R. LaComb, O. Nadiarnykh, S. Carey and P.J. Campagnola, “Quantitative SHG imaging and modeling of the optical clearing mechanism in striated muscle and tendon” J. Biomed Opt. 13, 021108 (2008).

X. Chen, M.A. Brewer,C. Zou and P.J. Campagnola, Migration and adhesion of ovarian cancer cells on crosslinked laminin fibers nanofabricated by multiphoton excited photochemistry, Integrative Biology, 1, 469 – 476 (2009).

O. Nadiarnykh and P. J. Campagnola, Retention of polarization signatures in SHG microscopy of scattering tissues through optical clearing, Optics Express, 17, 5794-5806 (2009)

Patents
P.J. Campagnola and S.L. Goodman, “Freeform Nanofabrication using multi-photon excitation” U.S. #6316153
S.L. Goodman and P.J. Campagnola “ Freeform fabrication using multi-photon excitation US #6713772

Honors
Phillip Morris Scholarship, 1985-1986
Kent Fellow, Yale, 1986-1990
JILA Fellowship, University of Colorado, 1992-1995

Invited Reviews
L.M. Loew, P.J. Campagnola, A. Lewis, and J.P. Wuskell “Confocal and Non-linear Optical Imaging of Potentiometric Dyes” Methods in Cell Biology, 70, 429-453, (2002)

A.C. Millard, P.J. Campagnola, W.A. Mohler, A. Lewis, and L.M. Loew, “Second Harmonic Imaging of Living Cells”, to appear in Methods in Enzymology.

P.J. Campagnola,* A.C. Millard, and W.A. Mohler, “Second Harmonic Generation Imaging Microscopy of Endogenous Structural Proteins” Methods, 29, 97 – 109 (2002).

William A. Mohler and P.J. Campagnola,* “Nonlinear optical spectroscopy and imaging of structural proteins in living tissues” Optics and Photonics News, 14, 40-45 (2003).

P. J. Campagnola, “Second Harmonic Generation Imaging Microscopy of Structural Protein Arrays in Tissue, “Handbook of biological nonlinear optical microscopy" to be publi1zshed by the Oxford University press.

VCell
HPC
Micrscopy Facility
   
 
CCAM UCHC