Conference Agenda

We developed an array of quantum detectors based on superconducting nanowires to allow two-photon-excited fluorescence in-vivo imaging of mouse brain vasculature working completely in the short wave infrared (SWIR) region of the spectrum, achieving an imaging depth of up to 900 um.

Optical trapping with structured optical fibers is reported for five species of the Pseudomonas genus. Contactless trapping at low intensities was realized with 3D printed Fresnel lens fibers and an original fiber emitting a tightly focused annular beam. Specific swimming features and the behavior of trapped bacteria of the investigated species are compared applying different numerical methods.

Light-based technologies, including lasers and LEDs, are widely utilized in various medical applications. Among these, low-fluence and prolonged irradiation in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectral regions have demonstrated significant clinical benefits, such as reducing inflammation and pain, as well as stimulating regenerative processes. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of these therapeutic effects, we examined the responses behaviour of fibroblasts and keratinocytes following non-contact irradiation with a 420 nm LED at varying fluences (4–40 J/cm²). Post-treatment analysis was conducted using confocal and electron microscopy, Micro-Raman spectroscopy, cell metabolism and proliferation assays, as well as patch-clamp recordings. Our findings revealed fluence- and cell type-dependent modulation of metabolism, cytochrome C redox state, and membrane ionic currents. In conclusion, these findings pave the way for the design of photonics-based medical devices capable of achieving targeted effects on specific cell groups, thereby addressing particular medical challenges [1-4].

Addressing the limitations of animal models in biomedical research, we introduce a hierarchical manufacturing method for creating anatomical phantoms using water-in-elastomer micro-emulsions.

The building blocks are water-in-elastomer micro-emulsions made of a continuous phase of hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and micro-droplets of hydrophilic solutions of various dyes and other contrast agents. This material inherits some properties from the elastomeric matrix, such as the speed of sound and acoustic attenuation coefficient, some from the hydrophilic inclusions, such as the optical absorbance, and some from their overall ultrastructure, such as the intensity of optical scattering. The final material

provides independently tunable, tissue-mimicking characteristics in the relevant ranges of optical excitation and acoustic detection for PAI.

This approach addresses the cost, ethical, and technical limitations of animal models, providing a reliable alternative for multimodal imaging and artificial intelligence development, particularly in photoacoustic imaging.

Reducing invasiveness is key in developing modern endoscopes for imaging samples in hard-to-reach areas. This can be achieved using multimode fibers. Compressive sensing algorithms can be applied to multimode fiber imaging to reduce the imaging speed. These algorithms utilize a sub-Nyquist set of patterns while allowing to super-resolve the sample. The patterns must be uncorrelated, which is typically achieved by mechanically scanning the input beam across a multimode fiber. We demonstrated a setup combining a super-continuum laser and a monochromator to obtain wavelength-dependent uncorrelated speckles, removing the need for mechanical scanning. With compressive sensing algorithms, binary samples were reconstructed up to 95% faster compared with traditional methods. We expand our setup to incorporate broadband illumination, which is expected to further increase imaging speed and spatial resolution, paving a way for a compact, real-time imaging device.

Interferometric diffuse optics (iDO) enables non-invasive measurement of deep tissue blood flow without requiring photon-counting detectors. Due to hardware constraints, achieving both optical properties and depth-dependent dynamics within a single modality remains a challenge for iDO. We present a simple method based on frequency-modulated light scattering that overcomes this limitation.