Carlas and his research group aim to increase nanoscopy resolution and robustness so that it can be used within intact live tissue. He believes that the time is right, both technically and conceptually, to make the step from optical microscopy to optical nanoscopy. His group breaks away from the traditional design philosophy of the mere addition of optimal components into a system, to instead apply optimal information processing for all components present in the system. The synergy between integrated optics and information processing allows them to develop complete new nanoscopy methodologies. During the next few years, they will develop new optical methodologies in close collaboration with neuroscientists who apply them. Together with their collaborators, they will set out to study the live brain to shed new nanoscale-light on the properties of the nervous system, e.g. the molecular plasticity associated with learning and memory-formation processes.

Scientific interests
- Super-resolution imaging and control
- Single-molecule (live-tissue) imaging
- Optimal control for bioimaging
Expertise:
- Artificial Intelligence for quantitative bioimaging
- Super-resolution microscopy (SIM, SMLM, AO)
- High-NA single-objective light-sheet microscopy
- Quantitative image analysis and modeling for single molecule experiments (SMLM, SPT, smFISH, CoSMoS, smFRET)
Models and equipment:
- Analysis pipelines for single molecule experiments
- High-NA light sheet, TIRF microscope, DMD based SIM
- BioOptoMechatronics facility (to be constructed @ 3mE next year): Micro-CT, line-scanning confocal + AO, coherent Discovery NX TPC, VUE for combined 1p and 2p experiments.