Terahertz Near Field Microscope

Considering a cell as analogous to a factory, because of all the motions that go on inside, it’s not surprising that cellular proteins give off vibrations.  It’s how they change shape in carrying out different functions.  In studying lysozyme vibration at the University of Buffalo/Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, researchers used a terahertz near-field microscope to see and measure how the vibrations changed in relation to different light the protein absorbed.  Such vibrations could reveal closer details of all cellular behavior.  MORE

Image Credit:  Laboratory of Terahertz Spectroscopy