One platform, multiple insights-Editorial

A number of advanced optical imaging modalities have been invented over the past 20 years. These developments include (1) advanced fluorescence imaging based on two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) and fluorescence lifetime measurement; (2) nonlinear optical modalities based on second harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation (THG), coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), four-wave mixing, and transient absorption; (3) optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photo-acoustic tomography (PAT) enabling deep tissue imaging.Each of these modalities has been successfully applied to biological and biomedical research