Laserlab-Europe AISBL

Meeting of the expert group 'Laser science for health'
2025-09-12 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Berlin) | Online
Members of the expert group have received the meeting link by email.
If you are interested in joining this expert group meeting, please contact Antonio Pifferi (POLIMI).

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Next generation time-domain diffuse optics using superconducting nanowire detectors
2024-10-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Lisa Kobayashi (ICFO, Spain)

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Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is an established diffuse optical method which non-invasively measures regional, microvascular blood flow from laser speckles. Although the utility of DCS has been demonstrated in clinical trials relating to a variety of clinical conditions, limited signal to noise have restricted the use of DCS to measure, for example, through hair or blood flow in very deeper tissue. Recently, another diffuse optical technique closely related to DCS, speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS), has been gaining interest due to its ability to overcome the limitations of DCS by measuring laser speckle intensity statistics using detector arrays. In this talk, I will discuss advances made to push the boundaries of DCS and SCOS techniques by using pulsed lasers at longer wavelengths (beyond 1000 nm) and state-of-the art superconducting nanowire arrays.
ICFO is partner of the EIC Pathfinder project fastMOT. The project aims to develop an innovative light sensing solution, a fast gated, ultra-high quantum efficiency single-photon sensor, to enable multifunctional deep body imaging with diffuse optics. With its Multifunctional Optical Tomograph (MOT) the project partners will be able to image deep organ and optical structures and monitor body functions including oxygenation, haemodynamics, perfusion and metabolism.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Laser illumination in classical and super-resolution multicolor microscopy
2024-09-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Adrien Mau (Abbelight, France)

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Microscopy is the art of observation of the infinitely small. However, one cannot observe an object without collecting light from it, and thus first sending light at it.
We will present how laser illumination coupled to smart optomechanical devices improved the traditional sample illumination methods. Notably, our company Abbelight has pushed ASTER, a strategy which delivers homogeneous and versatile illumination via fast control of laser positions. This will be applied to the principle of fluorescence microscopy, which allows to image specific biological structures.

Figure 1 : Fluorescence microscopy images of mitochondria, in various illuminations schemes
Moreover, specific properties of light propagation can be used to perform optical sectioning, such as oblique imaging and TIRF.
Finally, the high power of lasers coupled with the adaptability of ASTER can be used in Single Molecule Localization Microscopy, an innovative field that can yield resolutions down to tens of nanometer but typically require high laser power (2kW/cm²). By coupling a variety of strategies and making best use of our laser light, we can perform super resolution imaging on wide fields of view, with 3D modalities and for up to three different biological structures.

Figure 2 : three-dimensional imaging of clathrin (left) and microtubule (right) via ASTER illumination and a multicolor demixing method
Abbelight is partner of the EIC Transition project nanoSCAN. The project aims to transform tissue analysis with a novel 3D spatial biology platform that provides crucial insights into cellular and tissue functions.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Scientific fundamentals and practice of Photoacoustic Tomography
2023-10-25 16:00 - 17:00
Speaker: Fábio A. Schaberle (CLL, Portugal)

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Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is based on the absorption of light by endogenous or exogenous molecules – organic or inorganic – and the subsequent generation of acoustic waves resulting of the rapid deposition of heat upon deactivation of the excited electronic states of these molecules. In practice, PAT is used to imaging small animals, e.g. mice, using pulsed laser light with wavelengths capable of penetrating biological tissues (680nm-2300nm) and activating specific chromophores. The great advantages of PAT are the molecular contrast provided by the selective absorption of light and the resolution (microns) obtained by the high frequencies of acoustic waves.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: RGB lasers in dermatology and endoscopy
2023-09-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Janis Spigulis (University of Latvia)

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RGB lasers that emit simultaneously three spectral lines (red, green and blue) are gaining increased applications, mainly related to color projections and color TV. Thanks to the collimated output beam, RGB laser radiation can be efficiently launched in optical fibers which open new application prospects, including uniform three laser line illumination for highly sensitive spectral imaging to improve performance of clinical diagnostics in dermatology and endoscopy.
This talk provides insight into the principles and methodology of triple spectral line imaging under RGB laser-fiber illumination, and its implementation in lab-made prototype devices. For assessment of skin malformations, two RGB laser based prototypes were developed – one for examination of relatively small skin areas (~2-3 cm in diameter) and one for spectral line imaging of larger skin areas of typical dimensions ~40-80 cm, suitable also for full-body skin diagnostic imaging. The obtained three spectral line images are further transformed into distribution maps of three main skin chromophores to help clinicians in diagnosing the malformations with higher precision and reliability. For assessment of mucosa pathologies, a triple RGB laser line illumination system to replace the traditional white light endoscopic illumination has been developed. Some clinical examples will be discussed, as well; clinical tests of the developed devices are underways.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Laser microscopy for the study of infectious disease
2022-10-19 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Dave Clarke (CLF, UK)

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Infectious diseases of humans, animals, and plants have very significant societal and economic impacts. The COVID-19 pandemic is an obvious example, and another major threat is the increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance. Climate change is bringing increasing pressure on crops, making them more susceptible to diseases, with potentially serious consequences for food supplies.
Optical microscopy techniques have made a significant impact across many areas of human, animal, and plant biology, and research into infectious disease is no exception. In this talk Dave Clarke (CLF) will give an overview of some of the latest laser-based optical microscopy methods, and show examples from the Central Laser Facility’s research programme showing how they are providing valuable insights into the biology underlying infectious disease, and helping point the way to new treatments.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Adapting to an emerging pandemic to find a role for medical optics in COVID-19 patients and more
2022-05-04 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Turgut Durduran (ICFO, Spain)

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When COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns started, we sought to evaluate whether our technologies for evaluating tissue oxygen metabolism and hermodynamics with photonics could be helpful. A sequence of coincidences, bright postdocoral fellows and an overworked intensive care physician with an amazing insight into the needs came together for us to embark in an international, multi-center clinical trial with minimal funding. This then led to a Horizon 2020 project partially enabled by our longstanding collaborations in LaserLab JRAs. In the talk i will describe the technologies, their fundamental physical background, how we are using them and what we believe their future impact would be.

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Next Generation imaging and image-guided diagnosis and therapy for cancer
2022-02-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Time domain multiwavelength diffuse optics in breast cancer management – Theranostics with photoacoustic tomography and photosensitisers – Multimodal photoacoustic imaging of tumor angiogenesis
We are pleased to announce the Laserlab-Europe Talks: Next Generation imaging and image-guided diagnosis and therapy for cancer
Speakers:

Paola Taroni (CUSBO): Time domain multiwavelength diffuse optics in breast cancer management
Luis Arnaut (CLL): Theranostics with photoacoustic tomography and photosensitisers
Jithin Jose (FUJIFILM Visualsonics): Multimodal photoacoustic imaging of tumor angiogenesis
Jan Grimm (MSKC New York): The practical use of cancer imaging technologies in hospitals

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