Microscope in a Needle

Each year, more than 100,000 breast cancer patients around the world choose to have breast-conserving surgery when removing cancer. Unfortunately, one in four of these patients will need to return for further surgery because not all the cancer was removed.

This is where the Microscope in a Needle project can help. The fibre optic technology is able to produce high-resolution images of tissue, so surgeons can pinpoint exactly where healthy and cancerous tissue lies. Through this tool, surgeons can remove all of the breast cancer the first time, meaning the patient will not have to return for further invasive operations.

The Microscope in the Needle technology can also be used for other applications, such as in brain surgery to assist in pinpointing where blood vessels are to avoid brain bleeds. Researchers from the Microscope in the Needle project have been working on the technology for more than 10 years, and in 2017 it was licensed for commercialisation through a partnership with Miniprobes.

Research Team Leader
Professor David Sampson