Industrialization Potential of Optics in Biomedicine conference

On 7th and 8th of October IPC PAS hosted an extraordinary conference Industrialization Potential of Optics in Biomedicine. Due to the pandemic restrictions the whole event had to be moved online, but it seemed only to enrich the panel of speakers, who came virtually (in more than one sense of the word) from all over the world, eager to share their knowledge, experience and passion. All lectures and talks had been streamed live on YouTube but also recorded for further reference.

The speakers conveyed their personal experience in transferring scientific knowledge into well-prospering business. They had an avid audience of 208 registered participants and many non-registered observers on YouTube, coming from 80 scientific centers from all over the world, including China, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, United States and even New Zealand, not to mention many reputable Polish universities and institutes.
During the two-day conference participants could choose from six sessions presenting different facets of Optics in Biomedicine. There was a great variety of the subjects mentioned: from latest discoveries in the field to commercial adaptations of those inventions. As the whole event was interactive, participants could not only listen to lectures but also ask questions and voice their personal opinions on presented subjects.
The conference has been enriched by lectures and talks with keynote speakers: Yann Cotte, PhD from Swiss Nanolive at the EPFL, prof. Melissa Skala, presently working at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research, and prof. Brett Bouma, from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital . They shared their knowledge and expertise in the field of optics but also talked about their route to market success.

Dr Yann Cotte shared his experience about Nanolive and its 3D Cell Explorer, which allowed for the very first time to explore a living cell in 3D without damaging it and showing a comprehensive representation of its activity.

Prof. Melissa Skala talked about how she, in her lab, has been translating photonics-based technologies to develop personalized treatment plans for cancer patients.

Professor Brett Bouma has been an invaluable source of lab-to-market knowledge transfer. As an inventor of 5 successful medical devices presently on the market and a co-holder of over 300 patents he talked about how to coin inventions into working equipment that helps patients and doctors.

The event was also an unique opportunity for junior researchers and inventors interested in the development of novel imaging technologies to interact with more experienced colleagues and entrepreneurs. They could present their scientific achievements and projects and gain expert opinions on how to successfully run projects, start the company and enter the global market. Undoubtedly the conference was a great success and the participants left with not only new knowledge but also valuable contacts and a message that inventions in optics indeed have great potential for industrialization.