1. An imaging system configured to acquire and analyze image data collected from a first and second population of cells, where the image data includes a plurality of images of individual cells that are acquired simultaneously, to enable differences between the first and second populations to be quantified, comprising: (a) a collection lens disposed so that light traveling from an individual cell passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path; (b) a light dispersing element disposed in the collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the collection lens into a plurality of light beams, thereby producing dispersed light, such that each light beam has a different spectral content than the other light beams; (c) an imaging lens disposed to focus the dispersed light, producing focused dispersed light; (d) a detector disposed to receive the focused dispersed light, such that the focused dispersed light incident on the detector simultaneously comprises a plurality of images of the individual cell, the plurality of images comprising the image data; and (e) a processor configured to analyze the image data for the plurality of images collected from individual cells in the first and second population of cells, to quantify at least one difference between the first population of cells and the second population of cells.