For the development of new drugs and the safe monitoring of newborns: Together with 38 partners from nine countries, the Leibniz Institute for Photonic Technologies (Leibniz-IPHT) is working on innovative solutions for medical applications as part of the European project PhotonMed. The goal of the project is to efficiently transfer photonic technologies from research into practical applications.

Within PhotonMed, Leibniz-IPHT is developing two specific technologies: Raman spectroscopy can be used in the laboratory (in vitro) to identify substances that bind to cell receptors and form the basis for new drugs. For direct use in patients (in vivo), a method is being developed to gently and non-invasively measure oxygen levels in the tissues of newborns. The goal is to provide early detection of oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), allowing for timely, life-saving interventions.

“Our research supports both drug development and the safe monitoring of newborns.”
PD Dr. Christoph Krafft

Innovations from Research to Practice

PhotonMed is coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and is funded with a total of 32 million euros as part of the EU ChipsJU initiative. A key focus of the project is to accelerate the transition from basic research to industrial production. To this end, a pilot line will be established to structure industrial supply chains and facilitate regulatory validation of new technologies.

PhotonMed focuses on the development of photonic components such as multi-pixel infrared sensors, quantum cascade lasers and integrated photonic ultrasound transducers. These technologies will be used in areas such as vital data acquisition, in vitro and in vivo diagnostics, and personalized monitoring. A total of 16 functional demonstrators will be developed to test and validate the performance of the new systems. The project also aims to establish European standards for medical technology.

“Until now, the gap between research and manufacturing has been a major obstacle to the application of photonic technologies in medicine. The PhotonMed project aims to bridge this gap by creating structured industrial supply chains and using a pilot line model,” says Jussi Hiltunen, Research Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

Strengthening Europe’s Technological Independence

Another goal of PhotonMed is to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in microelectronics and photonics. The integration of innovative technologies such as plasmonic-photonic sensor chips and advanced packaging techniques is expected to strengthen the European semiconductor value chain and increase its competitiveness.