UCLA

There are many challenges to translating bench-top research biophotonics imaging system into the clinical setting. One commonality amongst many of these systems is that they fall short in the final in vivo clinical translation, which is the most critical step to truly have a

clinical impact. The intent of this PhD thesis is to offer a comprehensive view of a project cycle and to provide insight that are important to successful clinical translation of research systems into the clinic setting. Many of these issues are typically neglected in academic setting due to the lack of academic novelty and publication possibilities; but is necessary for successful clinical translation. Some of these issues includes poor clinical practicality, high system complexity, and inconsistent results. The thesis will use the system development and clinical translation of Dynamic Optical Contrast Imaging (DOCi), a novel imaging system that uses fluorescence decay as the contrast mechanism to differentiate tissue types; as an example to address translational challenges. The research can be divided into a few distinct sections such as the development of DOCi system, challenges and considerations for clinical translation, and algorithm development for image processing and interpreting data. Each of the sections will entail solutions to improve clinical practicality, reduce system complexity,

or attempts to standardize results across multiple systems.