Bi Renzhe

Bi_Renzhe
Dr. Bi Renzhe
Principal Investigator
Email: bi_renzhe@asrl.a-star.edu.sg



Research themes: MedTech, diffuse optical device, Raman spectroscopy system development, Photoacoustic imaging system development, signal and image analysis algorithms.

Biography

Dr Bi Renzhe obtained his PhD degree from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Biomedical Engineering in 2015. His research focused on development of novel biophotonics technologies and advancing medical technology innovations. The technology platforms he developed, including diffuse optical wearables, multi excitation wavelength Raman spectroscopy and hybrid Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging platform, have been translated into clinical applications to improve the healthcare outcomes. Three of his patents have been assigned or licensed to Singapore-based MedTech companies and been developed into FDA approved medical devices. Dr Bi received the Young Scientist Award (YSA) in 2022, Asian Scientist 100 and Nanyang Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2023, President’s Technology Award (PTA) in 2024 for his outstanding contributions to advancing biophotonics and driving innovation in MedTech. 

Research interests

I am interested in developing optical devices and systems to solve the challenges in biomedical and biological fields, as well as the clinical translation of new technologies. Optical technologies have the advantages of safety, portability, cost-effectiveness, and rich intrinsic contrast. Optical devices have been widely used for heartbeat monitoring, blood oxygenation measurement, tissue characterization, and eye imaging. My research will develop innovative optical technologies to monitor deep tissue blood flow, quantify the chemical composition of skin, diagnose cancer with higher accuracy, and manage chronic venous conditions more effectively. 
The specific optical technologies we are developing include Photoacoustic imaging, Raman spectroscopy, diffuse speckle pulsatile flowmetry, confocal microscopy, fluorescence imaging. 

Selected publications

R. Zhang, R. A’dawiah, T. W. J. Choo, X. Li, G. Balasundaram, Y. Qi, Y. Goh, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Navigating challenges and solutions in quantitative photoacoustic imaging," Appl Phys Rev 11(3), 031308 (2024). 

R. Bi, R. Zhang, L. Meng, Y. Du, J. Low, Y. Qi, P. Rajarahm, A. Y. F. Lai, V. S. Y. Tan, P. Ho, and M. Olivo, "A portable optical pulsatile flowmetry demonstrates strong clinical relevance for diabetic foot perfusion assessment," APL Bioeng 8(1), 16109 (2024). 

S. Zhang, Y. Liu, W. Liao, R. R. Z. Tan, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Ex Vivo Tissue Classification Using Broadband Hyperspectral Imaging Endoscopy and Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study," IEEE Sens J 24(15), 24737–24749 (2024). 

R. Zhang, X. Li, G. Balasundaram, B. Li, Y. Qi, A. Santosa, T. C. Tan, M. Olivo, and R. Bi, "Hybrid Photoacoustic Ultrasound Imaging System for Cold-induced Vasoconstriction and Vasodilation Monitoring.," IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 71(2), 712–716 (2024).

U. S. Dinish, Y. W. Yew, K. Vinod Ram, R. Bi, A. B. E. Attia, V. Teo Xinhui, P. Rajarahm, H. H. Oon, S. T. G. Thng, and M. Olivo, "Non-invasive biochemical analysis and comparison of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis skin using handheld confocal Raman spectroscopy," J Biophotonics e202300191 (2023).

S. Zhang, Y. Qi, S. P. H. Tan, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Molecular Fingerprint Detection Using Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy Technologies for Cancer Detection: A Progress Review," Biosensors (Basel) 13(5), 557 (2023).

Y. Qi, R. Zhang, P. Rajarahm, S. Zhang, A. B. Ebrahim Attia, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Simultaneous Dual-Wavelength Source Raman Spectroscopy with a Handheld Confocal Probe for Analysis of the Chemical Composition of In Vivo Human Skin," Anal Chem 95(12), 5240–5247 (2023).

I. Huen, R. Zhang, R. Bi, X. Li, M. Moothanchery, and M. Olivo, "An Investigation of Signal Preprocessing for Photoacoustic Tomography," Sensors 23(1), 510 (2023).

S. Zhang, R. Bi, R. Zhang, Y. Qi, R. B. S. M. Salim, and M. Olivo, "An all metasurface-based fiber needle probe for Raman spectroscopy," Front Phys 10, 1335 (2022).

B. Li, R. Zhang, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Applications of Optical Fiber in Label-Free Biosensors and Bioimaging: A Review," Biosensors (Basel) 13(1), 64 (2023).

Y. Goh, G. Balasundaram, H. M. Tan, T. C. Putti, C. W. Ng, E. Fang, R. Bi, S. W. Tang, S. A. Buhari, M. Hartman, C. W. Chan, Y. T. Lim, M. Olivo, and S. T. Quek, "Photoacoustic Tomography Appearance of Fat Necrosis: A First-in-Human Demonstration of Biochemical Signatures along with Histological Correlation," Diagnostics 12(10), 2456 (2022).

T. W. J. Choo, R. Zhang, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Experimental characterization of diffuse speckle pulsatile flowmetry system," Front Phys 10, 863 (2022).

K. Dev, J. H. C. Ho, R. Bi, Y. W. Yew, U. S. Dinish, A. Attia, M. Moothanchery, G. T. S. Thng, and M. Olivo, "Machine Learning Assisted Handheld Confocal Raman Micro-Spectroscopy for Identification of Clinically Relevant Atopic Eczema Biomarkers," Sensors 22(13), 4674 (2022).

Y. Goh, G. Balasundaram, H. Min, T. Choudary, S. Wei, C. Wei, Q. Ng, S. Ahmad, E. Fang, M. Moothanchery, R. Bi, M. Olivo, and S. Tian, "Photoacoustics Biochemical “decoding” of breast ultrasound images with optoacoustic tomography fusion: First-in-human display of lipid and collagen signals on breast ultrasound," Photoacoustics 27, 100377 (2022).

F. Mandino, L. Y. Yeow, R. Bi, L. Sejin, H. G. Bae, S. H. Baek, C.-Y. Lee, H. Mohammad, C. Horien, C. L. Teoh, J. H. Lee, M. K. Lai, S. Jung, Y. Fu, M. Olivo, J. Gigg, and J. Grandjean, "The lateral entorhinal cortex is a hub for local and global dysfunction in early Alzheimer’s disease states.," Journal Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Metabolism 42(9), 1616–1631 (2022).

R. Zhang, S. S. Koh, M. J. T. Teo, R. Bi, S. Zhang, K. Dev, D. Urano, U. S. Dinish, and M. Olivo, "Handheld Multifunctional Fluorescence Imager for Non-invasive Plant Phenotyping," Front Plant Sci 13(April), 1–9 (2022).

Y. Li, H. Zhou, R. Bi, X. Li, M. Zha, Y. Yang, J.-S. Ni, W. H. Liew, M. Olivo, and K. Yao, "Acceptor Engineering of Small Molecule Fluorophores for NIR-II Fluorescent and NIR-I Photoacoustic Imaging," J Mater Chem B 9(48), 9951–9960 (2021).

F. Mandino, R. M. Vrooman, H. E. Foo, L. Y. Yeow, T. A. W. Bolton, P. Salvan, C. L. Teoh, C. L. Lee, A. Beauchamp, S. Luo, R. Bi, J. Zhang, G. H. T. Lim, N. Low, J. Sallet, J. Gigg, J. P. Lerch, R. B. Mars, M. Olivo, Y. Fu, and J. Grandjean, "A triple-network organization for the mouse brain," Mol Psychiatry 27(2), 865–872 (2022).

R. Zhang, R. Bi (co-first), C. Ho Jun Hui, P. Rajarahm, U. S. Dinish, and M. Olivo, "A Portable Ultrawideband Confocal Raman Spectroscopy System with a Handheld Probe for Skin Studies," ACS Sens 6(8), 2960–2966 (2021).

G. Balasundaram, C. Krafft, R. Zhang, K. Dev, R. Bi, M. Moothanchery, J. Popp, and M. Olivo, "Biophotonic technologies for assessment of breast tumor surgical margins—A review," J Biophotonics 14(1), e202000280 (2021).

S. Zhang, C. L. Wong, S. Zeng, R. Bi, K. Tai, K. Dholakia, and M. Olivo, "Metasurfaces for biomedical applications: imaging and sensing from a nanophotonics perspective," Nanophotonics 10(1), 259–293 (2021).

A. B. E. Attia, R. Bi, K. Dev, Y. Du, and M. Olivo, "Clinical noninvasive imaging and spectroscopic tools for dermatological applications: Review of recent progress," Transl Biophotonics 2(4), e202000010 (2020).

Y. W. Yew, U. S. Dinish, A. H. Yu Kuan, X. Li, K. Dev, A. B. Ebrahim Attia, R. Bi, M. Moothanchery, G. Balasundaram, J. Aguirre, V. Ntziachristos, M. Olivo, and S. T. Guan Thng, "Raster-scanning optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM) imaging as an objective disease severity tool in atopic dermatitis patients.," J Am Acad Dermatol 84(4), 1121–1123 (2021).

R. Bi, Y. Du, G. Singh, C. J.-H. Ho, S. Zhang, A. B. E. Attia, X. Li, and M. Olivo, "Fast pulsatile blood flow measurement in deep tissue through a multimode detection fiber," J Biomed Opt 25(5), 055003 (2020).

C. J. H. Ho, Y. W. Yew, U. S. Dinish, A. H. Y. Kuan, M. K. W. Wong, R. Bi, K. Dev, X. Li, G. Singh, M. Moothanchery, J. Perumal, S. T. G. Thng, and M. Olivo, "Handheld confocal Raman spectroscopy (CRS) for objective assessment of skin barrier function and stratification of severity in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients," J Dermatol Sci 98(1), 20–25 (2020).

M. Moothanchery, K. Dev, G. Balasundaram, R. Bi, and M. Olivo, "Acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy based on microelectromechanical systems scanner," J Biophotonics 13(2), e201960127 (2020).

A. B. E. Attia, G. Balasundaram, M. Moothanchery, U. S. S. Dinish, R. Bi, V. Ntziachristos, and M. Olivo, "A Review of Clinical Photoacoustic Imaging: Current and Future Trends," Photoacoustics 16, 100144 (2019).

M. Moothanchery, R. Bi, J. Y. Kim, G. Balasundaram, C. Kim, and M. Olivo, "High-speed simultaneous multiscale photoacoustic microscopy," J Biomed Opt 24(8), 86001 (2019).

Y. W. Yew, U. S. Dinish, E. C. E. Choi, R. Bi, C. J. Ho, K. Dev, X. Li, A. B. E. Attia, M. K. Wong, G. Balasundaram, V. Ntziachristos, M. Olivo, and S. T. G. Thng, "Investigation of Morphological, Vascular and Biochemical Changes in the Skin of an Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Patient in Response to Dupilumab Using Raster Scanning Optoacoustic Mesoscopy (RSOM) and Handheld Confocal Raman Spectroscopy (CRS)," J Dermatol Sci 95(3), 123–125 (2019).

R. Bi, U. S. Dinish, C. C. Goh, T. Imai, M. Moothanchery, X. Li, J. Y. Kim, S. Jeon, Y. Pu, C. Kim, L. G. Ng, L. v Wang, and M. Olivo, "In Vivo Label-free Functional Photoacoustic Monitoring of Ischemic Reperfusion," J Biophotonics 12(7), e201800454 (2019).

X. Li, U. S. Dinish, J. Aguirre, R. Bi, K. Dev, A. B. E. Attia, S. Nitkunanantharajah, Q. H. Lim, M. Schwarz, Y. W. Yew, S. T. G. Thng, V. Ntziachristos, and M. Olivo, "Optoacoustic mesoscopy analysis and quantitative estimation of specific imaging metrics in Fitzpatrick skin phototypes II to V," J Biophotonics 12(9), e201800442 (2019).

R. Bi, G. Balasundaram, S. Jeon, H. C. Tay, Y. Pu, X. Li, M. Moothanchery, C. Kim, and M. Olivo, "Front Cover: Photoacoustic microscopy for evaluating combretastatin A4 phosphate induced vascular disruption in orthotopic glioma," J Biophotonics 11(10), e201870161 (2018).

D. Su, C. L. Teoh, S.-J. Park, J.-J. Kim, A. Samanta, R. Bi, U. S. Dinish, M. Olivo, M. Piantino, F. Louis, M. Matsusaki, S. S. Kim, M. A. Bae, and Y.-T. Chang, "Seeing Elastin: A Near-Infrared Zwitterionic Fluorescent Probe for In Vivo Elastin Imaging," Chem 4(5), 1128–1138 (2018).


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