A research team from the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia (UBCO) has published two significant achievements in Advanced Science and Angewandte Chemie, developing qtPAINT imaging technology and the "bait DNA" method, which significantly enhance the precision and duration of molecular force measurements within living cells. Led by Dr. Isaac Li, this research provides new tools for cancer research and regenerative medicine.

The qtPAINT technology achieves molecular force measurements with nanoscale spatial precision and minute-scale temporal resolution for the first time. Lead author Dr. Seongho Kim stated: "This technology allows us not only to locate molecular forces but also to quantify their intensity and track dynamic changes." The research team simultaneously developed the "bait DNA" method, which protects probes from degradation by adding harmless DNA strands, extending measurement times from hours to days.

Team member Hongyuan Zhang noted: "This simple and effective method significantly improves the stability and accuracy of measurements." Dr. Li stated that these breakthrough technologies will help scientists explore key biological processes such as cancer development and immune responses more deeply.