Lecture Theatre 3, Sibson Building 10th Mar 2026, from 10am to 6pm GMT
Optics and photonics technologies hold tremendous promise for non-invasive medical diagnosis. By enabling clinicians to analyse biological tissue without biopsy or the use of ionising radiation, they provide a safer and non-invasive approach to diagnostics.
Optical techniques can provide exceptional spatial and temporal resolution, as well as sensitivity to subtle biochemical and structural changes that allow for early diagnosis. They are safe and cost-effective, and many devices are portable enough to be used at the bedside or even in low-resource settings. Modern photonics also provides tools for new and improved treatments, including image-guided interventions and specialised lasers and delivery fibres for energy delivery.
This workshop will bring clinicians together with researchers working on the next generation of optical imaging and sensing tools, with the aim of identifying new high-impact applications and steering development of technology towards successful translation to healthcare applications in the UK and worldwide.
In addition to a programme of talks and a networking session, there will be an opportunity to visit the Applied Optics Group labs and see examples of technology in action.
Guest Speakers:
- Prof Marinko Sarunic – Moorfields Eye Charity Chair of Advanced Ocular Imaging, University College London, Functional retinal imaging with optoretinography
Prof Daniel Elson – Professor of Surgical Imaging and Biophotonics, Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, Optical spectroscopy for label free surgical diagnostics
Prof Taran Tatla – Consultant ENT/H&N Surgeon, London North West Hospitals NHS Trust, and President-Elect of ENT-UK, The NHS 10 Year Health Plan – Developing Optical Diagnostics “Fit for the Future”
Prof Igor Meglinski – Professor of Quantum Biophotonics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Advanced Dynamic Light Scattering for Non-invasive Transcranial Blood Flow Visualisation
Dr Alex Thompson – Hamlyn Centre, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Transcutaneous fluorescence sensing for non-invasive assessment of gut function
Dr Jang Ah Kim – Imperial College London, Light for Fabrication, Sensing, and Micro-manipulation
Neciah Dorh – CEO of Fluoretiq, Unlocking Point-of-Care Diagnostics: Harnessing Optics for Real-time Data
Applied Optics Group Speakers:
- Prof Adrian Podoleanu – Overview of biomedical optics and modern photonics: 30 years of contributions at Kent
- Dr Michael Hughes – Imaging through fibres: endoscopic and miniaturised imaging for minimally-invasive diagnosis
- Dr Adrian Bradu – Synergistic optical biopsy: fusing structural Optical Coherence Tomography with Functional Optoacoustic
- Dr Manuel Marques – Biomedical optics for robotic surgery
Click here for a detailed programme.