Seeing More with In Silico Labeling of Microscopy Images

In the fields of biology and medicine, microscopy allows researchers to observe details of cells and molecules which are unavailable to the naked eye. Transmitted light microscopy, where a biological sample is illuminated on one side and imaged, is relatively simple and well-tolerated by living cultures but produces images which can be difficult to properly assess. Fluorescence microscopy, in which biological objects of interest (such as cell nuclei) are specifically targeted with fluorescent molecules, simplifies analysis but requires complex sample preparation.

With the increasing application of machine learning to the field of microscopy, including algorithms used to automatically assess the quality of images and assist pathologists diagnosing cancerous tissue, we wondered if we could develop a deep learning system that could combine the benefits of both microscopy techniques while minimizing the downsides.

Source: googleblog.com