Biophotonics to advance personalized medicine

For centuries, we have observed microbiology through lenses and microscopes. Now, photonics is transforming our interaction with the microscopic world, allowing active detection, analysis, and manipulation of individual cells and biomolecules at unprecedented speed. What once took over a decade—sequencing the human genome—biophotonics now achieves in days, heralding the era of personalized medicine.

This controlled interaction with single cells and molecules is set to transform the entire healthcare spectrum, from research to treatment. In research, photonic techniques like optogenetics are unveiling the intricate workings of the brain, cell by cell. In treatment, photonics-based cell-sorting technologies promise to drastically reduce the cost of personalized medicine, especially in cancer therapy.

At imec, we have dedicated over two decades to tailoring photonics to life sciences. Our innovations in low-loss optical components and photonic systems are setting new standards for biological analysis. The integration of solid-state lasers, detectors, and microfluidics onto our photonic platforms is driving us from research to application. imec is not just witnessing the future of healthcare, we are actively committed to making it more efficient, precise, and accessible.