New imaging technology, inspired by butterflies, can distinguish between normal and cancerous cells with 99% accuracy, according to new research. This breakthrough, led by a team from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, US, found that cancerous cells can be identified by their unique fluorescence in the UV spectrum.

The stimulus for this technology came from butterflies, particularly the Papilio Xuthus species.

“We’ve taken inspiration from the visual system of butterflies, who are able to perceive multiple regions in the UV spectrum, and designed a camera that replicates that functionality,” said lead researcher Prof Viktor Gruev. “We did this by using novel perovskite nanocrystals, combined with silicon imaging technology, and this new camera technology can detect multiple UV regions.”

Cancerous tissues contain certain biomedical markers in higher concentrations than healthy tissues. These markers, when excited with UV light, emit a glow through a process known as autofluorescence. “Imaging in the UV region has been limited and I would say that has been the biggest roadblock for making scientific progress,” said study co-author and bioengineering professor Shuming Nie. “Now we have come up with this technology where we can image UV light with high sensitivity and can also distinguish small wavelength differences.”

The research team envisions utilising this sensor in surgical procedures, while biologists are hopeful about using it to study other species capable of seeing in the UV spectrum. “This new imaging technology is enabling us to differentiate cancerous versus healthy cells and is opening up new and exciting applications beyond just health,” Prof Nie concluded.