From March 3rd to 7th, 2024, Jena will become a hub for international experts in optical health technologies. The seventh edition of the International Congress on Biophotonics (ICOB 2024) will bring together leading minds from science, technology, and medicine with representatives from the industry to discuss the future direction of this research field and to advance the implementation of light-based technologies in clinical applications. The congress is organized by the Jena Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT).

The event will kick off with Chemistry Nobel Laureate Stefan Hell on March 4th. His groundbreaking work on light microscopy has redefined the limits of visibility, enabling profound insights into the nano-world of living cells. This discovery opens new paths for biomedical research, from studying neurodegenerative diseases to exploring the mechanisms of cancer cells.

The interdisciplinary field of biophotonics uses light to examine and control biological processes and is key to new methods in medicine and health care, as well as for more precise environmental monitoring. The ICOB congress will highlight the potential of optical technologies for early detection and treatment of cancer and infectious diseases and will present successful examples of technology transfer. Among these are the startup DiaMonTech, which has developed a pain-free method for measuring blood glucose, and the young Jena-based startup DeepEn. This spin-off from Leibniz-IPHT, founded in 2024, aims to bring to market hair-thin endoscopes for neuroscience, enabling microscopic processes in deep brain regions to be visualized for the first time.

In addition to ICOB 2024, the 10th International Conference on Perspectives in Vibrational Spectroscopy (ICOPVS 2024) will take place. This prestigious scientific conference, held for the first time in Europe, will gather researchers from around the world to discuss innovative methods of vibrational spectroscopy for biomedical applications. The focus will be on IR and Raman spectroscopy techniques, which, combined with AI technologies, are crucial for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods and for improving environmental monitoring.

 icob2024.org