FLIM Playground: An interactive, end-to-end graphical user interface for analyzing single cells with fluorescence...

Area of Science:

• Biophotonics and Imaging Science
• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Background:

• Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) offers insights into cellular environments but involves complex, fragmented workflows.
• Current FLIM analysis requires multi-step data extraction and siloed tools, posing challenges for researchers.
• Bridging the gap between raw FLIM data and biological insights is crucial for broader adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce FLIM Playground, an integrated graphical platform for single-cell FLIM data analysis.
• To streamline and unify the entire FLIM workflow, from data extraction to biological interpretation.
• To enhance reproducibility and accelerate hypothesis-driven discovery in cellular imaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of an interactive, modular graphical platform named FLIM Playground.
• Implementation of features for metadata checking, lifetime and feature extraction (morphology, texture), and dataset merging.
• Integration of real-time visual analytic modules for immediate data feedback.

Main Results:

• FLIM Playground successfully unifies data extraction and analysis within a single interface.
• Lifetime extraction was validated against commercial software and existing literature.
• Demonstrated utility on FLIM data from cancer cell lines, showcasing its practical application.

Conclusions:

• FLIM Playground significantly reduces the burden of FLIM data analysis for both experts and non-experts.
• The platform promotes reproducibility and facilitates expansion to new imaging modalities.
• FLIM Playground accelerates biological discovery by simplifying complex imaging workflows.