How did the BioPhotonic Scanner come about?
The scanner was developed by Dr. Werner Gellermann from the University of Utah, Department of Physics, and several collaborators from the University’s School of Medicine. Initially Dr. Gellermann and his research group set out to find a way to measure the level of carotenoids in the eyes of people with age-related macular degeneration. Studies show that people with age-related macular degeneration have much lower levels of carotenoids in their eyes, and therefore it was necessary to develop an early-age screening test. Using Raman technology Dr. Gellermann and his team developed an instrument that projected laser light on the back of the eye and reflected back to a detector measuring carotenoid content in the retina. They then applied the same Raman technology to measure carotenoid antioxidant levels in skin tissues.
