A new camera will help surgeons remove cancerous cells without damaging healthy tissue, reducing the likelihood of the cancer spreading. The camera, which was developed by researchers from the University of Illinois, mimics the visual system of a butterfly, and provides both a traditional color image and a near-infrared image that allows fluorescently labeled cancerous cells to be visible, even under bright surgical lighting, reported the CNET.com website. Viktor Gruev, research team leader and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois, said: “We looked to natures visual systems for inspiration, and we realized that the morpho butterfly, whose eyes contain nanostructures that sense multispectral information, can acquire both near-infrared and color information simultaneously.” The researchers explained how their camera can detect tumors in animals and can help assess the stage of breast cancer in humans. The camera weighs less than an ounce and can be manufactured for about $20. The cameras ability to detect fluorescence markers under surgical lighting sets it apart from many of todays FDA-approved near-infrared cameras, which are not sensitive enough to do this, according to the researchers. Room lights typically need to be dimmed to see the fluorescence. The CNET.com website pointed out that the team is creating a start-up to commercialize the device. They are also working with the FDA to design a clinical trials before approving its usage in hospitals. Researchers from the University of Singapore had developed a new technique to deliver light to deep organs in the human body, in order to activate specific medicines that respond to light, based on a system known as Photodynamic therapy. Although this therapy is considered among efficient cancer treatments, its impact is limited to tumors found near the skin, given that the light’s weak capacity prevents it from pass through tissues. However, the new technique allows the application of the Photodynamic therapy on the body’s deep organs with high accuracy. The new technique can be used in treating several types of cancer that affect inner organs like the brain and liver.