Advanced dynamic light scattering for transcranial blood flow visualization: from cerebral hemodynamics to structured light interactions

Accurate, non-invasive visualization of cerebral blood flow is essential for advancing our understanding of brain physiology and pathophysiology. In this talk, I will present our recent developments in dynamic light scattering (DLS)-based optical methodologies for high-resolution transcranial imaging of cerebral hemodynamics. We explore and compare a range of DLS-derived techniques, including Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF), Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI), and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS), alongside novel signal processing frameworks based on entropy, principal component analysis (PCA) and Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). These methods are benchmarked in both small animal models and tissue-mimicking phantoms under pharmacologically modulated blood flow conditions. In the concluding part of the talk, I will touch upon our complementary investigations into the propagation of structured light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) through complex scattering media. These studies reveal intriguing resilience and memory effects of OAM states in tissue-like environments, opening pathways for novel quantum-enhanced sensing strategies in biomedical optics.