November 2026 - Qian Li

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Dr. Qian Li

MedUni Wien RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH November 2026

Barrett’s oesophagus offers a valuable opportunity to prevent oesophageal adenocarcinoma, yet focal dysplasia and early cancer often remain inconspicuous during conventional endoscopy, while random biopsies may miss 30–50% of neoplastic lesions. We developed O2E, a tethered capsule that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optoacoustic mesoscopy (OPAM) for label-free, three-dimensional and circumferential imaging of long oesophageal segments. OCT visualized the epithelium and underlying tissue architecture, distinguishing normal squamous mucosa from gland-forming Barrett’s tissue and revealing the structural disruption associated with dysplasia. OPAM mapped the morphology and depth of microscopic blood vessels and exposed characteristic irregular vascular loops in early cancer. In a pilot study of resected human tissue, the combined approach detected neoplasia with 94% sensitivity and 92% specificity. O2E could ultimately support wide-area surveillance and guide targeted rather than random biopsies.

Selected Literature

1. Sung, H. et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J. Clin. 71, 209–249 (2021).
2. Morgan, E. et al. The global landscape of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence and mortality in 2020 and projections to 2040: new estimates from GLOBOCAN 2020. Gastroenterology 163, 649–658 (2022).
3. Souza, R. F. & Spechler, S. J. Mechanisms and pathophysiology of Barrett oesophagus. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 19, 605–620 (2022). 
4. Di Pietro, M., Chan, D., Fitzgerald, R. C. & Wang, K. K. Screening for Barrett’s esophagus. Gastroenterology 148, 912–923 (2015).
5. Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., Fuchs, H. E. & Jemal, A. Cancer statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J. Clin. 72, 7–33 (2022).
6. Thosani, N. et al. ASGE Technology Committee systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the ASGE Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations thresholds for adopting real-time imaging-assisted endoscopic targeted biopsy during endoscopic surveillance of Barrett’s esophagus. Gastrointest. Endosc. 83, 684–698 (2016).
7. Shaheen, N. J. et al. Diagnosis and management of Barrett’s esophagus: an updated ACG guideline. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 117, 559–587 (2022).
8. Fitzgerald, R. C. et al. British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Barrett’s oesophagus. Gut 63, 7–42 (2014).
9. Anandasabapathy, S. et al. Computer-assisted brush-biopsy analysis for the detection of dysplasia in a high-risk Barrett’s esophagus surveillance population. Dig. Dis. Sci. 56, 761–766 (2011).
10. Sharma, P. et al. Standard endoscopy with random biopsies versus narrow-band imaging targeted biopsies in Barrett’s oesophagus: a prospective, international, randomised controlled trial. Gut 62, 15–21 (2013).
11. Gross, S. A., Smith, M. S. & Kaul, V. Increased detection of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal dysplasia with adjunctive use of wide-area transepithelial sampling with three-dimensional computer-assisted analysis. United Eur. Gastroenterol. J. 6, 529–535 (2018).
12. Vithayathil, M. et al. Image-enhanced endoscopy and molecular biomarkers versus Seattle Protocol to diagnose dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus. Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 20, 2514–2523 (2022).
13. Li, Q. et al. Tethered optoacoustic and optical coherence tomography capsule endoscopy for label-free assessment of Barrett’s oesophageal neoplasia. (IF 26,3) Nat. Biomed. Eng.10, 259–276 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-025-01462-0