Biomedical Optics

Biomedical optics is a field that studies the basic principles of interaction between light and biological tissues, cells and molecules and develop new technologies for use in basic research and clinical applications.

The emerging discipline is in constant development, using light and other forms of electromagnetic energy, usually in the visible range, in order to understand the internal components of cells and tissues of living organisms. Biomedical optics is interdisciplinary since it covers all aspects of optical imaging and spectroscopy from subcellular length scales to large tissue volumes and attract researchers and users of optical physics, biophysics, biochemistry, engineering, biology, medicine, mathematics and computer science.

In medicine it focuses on tissue and blood to detect, diagnose and treat diseases non-invasively.

Research groups

Biomedical Imaging and Spectroscopy; Clinical Instrument Translation (BISCIT)

We develop methods and instrumentation that advance spectroscopy, light transport modeling, and imaging of tissue; creating quantitative, non-invasive tools for the clinical detection, monitoring or treatment of skin diseases and injuries.

Research projects

A person is lying on a hospital bed with a cuff around their arm connected to a device.

SCAPIS Micro

Changes in the smallest vessels in the body, the microcirculation, affect oxygen and nutrient delivery to the cells. A new optical technique gives the opportunity to find relations between dysfunctional microcirculation and cardiovascular disease

Measurement of a person's arm with PeriFlux 6000 EPOS

Enhanced perfusion and Oxygen Saturation (EPOS)

A detailed assessment of various parameters in the same point is crucial for a better understanding of the physiology in the smallest vessels in the body. That leads to better diagnostics and treatment within e.g. diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Photo of a microscope and two close ups of tissue.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

In this project, OCT’s potentials for intra-operative and postoperative (laboratory) pathology diagnostics are investigated.

Depth Resolved Quantification of Fluorescence in Skin

Depth Resolved Quantitative Imaging of Tissue Ultra-Structure

Extracting more subtle, detailed information from in vivo tissue scattering to investigate cellular and extracellular structures in wound healing and skin cancers.

Photo of depth Resolved Quantification of Fluorescence in Skin.

Multi-modal Skin Imaging Technology Development

Combining optical techniques to synergistically elevate non-invasive sensitivity (optical biomarkers) and specificity (localization of embedded tissue properties) in a single imaging platform.

Clinical Translation of SFDI Instrumentation

The design and development of low-cost, handheld devices toward seamless integration in to clinical practice, reducing translational barriers novel technologies and methods