Photonics4Life

Photonics4Life is a Network of Excellence, funded by the European Union within the 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development. It consists of 13 European research institutes working in the field of Biophotonics. The network’s aim is to provide a coherent framework for research in this field in Europe. Biophotonics is a multidisciplinary research area, embracing all light-based technologies applied to the life sciences and medicine.

Photonics4Life targets to connect the different research communities ranging from Physics and Engineering via Chemistry and Physical Chemistry to Biology and Medicine by organizing and supporting the exchange of scientists, summer schools, interdisciplinary workshops and conferences. Thereby the network tries to improve and extend the analysis of cell processes, non- and minimally-invasive diagnosis and therapy and point-of-care diagnostics.

Similar efforts exist in other regions of the world with a focus in North America and Southeast Asia.

Type of Project

  • Network of Excellence

Project coordination

  • Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp (Project Coordinator) Institute of Photonic Technology, University of Jena, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Gert von Bally (Vice-Coordinator) University of Munster, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Hugo Thienpont (Vice-Coordinator) Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium

Photonics4Life Partners

  • Institute of Photonic Technology (Institut für Photonische Technologien), IPHT, Germany
  • Universität Münster, UoM, Germany
  • Universiteit Twente, MESA+, The Netherlands
  • [[Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche|Istituto di Fisica

Applicata "Nello Carrara", CNR-IFAC]], Italy

  • CNRS Institut d'Optique Graduate School, IOGS, France
  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB, Belgium
  • University of St. Andrews, USTAN, United Kingdom
  • Imperial College London, IMPERIAL, United Kingdom
  • Instituto de Cincias Fotonicas Barcelona, ICFO, Spain
  • Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus, VTT, Finland
  • Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, FZK, Germany
  • Lunds Universitet, ULUND, Sweden
  • Saratovskij Gosudarstvennuyj Universitet, SSU, Russia

Project Duration

01.05.2008 – 30.04.2012

Total cost

Approx. 5.230.000 EUR

References