Junior Groups

With its applicative research focus on “biophotonics”, IPHT aims at positioning itself in the development of micro-spectroscopic methods and instruments for biomedical diagnostics as one of the leading institutes both throughout Germany and internationally. At the same time, the city of Jena should gain international recognition as a center for biomedical diagnostics, biophysical spectroscopy, and imaging.

IPHT plays a defining role at the center of interdisciplinary research in Jena – as a  mediator between engineering sciences and physics on the one hand and medicine and life sciences on the other.

The focus of the “spectroscopy and imaging” department is on the research, development, and integration of photonic tools and methods to heighten the specificity and sensitivity in analytical diagnostics and imaging as well as in the basic research of life processes. The focus of research at IPHT is based on two central approaches that complement each other: While a top-down approach based on physical measurement principles can be used to increase both specificity and sensitivity, the research, development, and integration of innovative markers and labels represent a bottom-up approach to chemical contrasting.

The “spectroscopy and imaging” department comprises the following work groups and fields:

• Molecular imaging
• Ultrafast spectroscopy
• Cell diagnostics (JenZIG = Cell Identification Group Jena)
• Sensor systems
• Applied plasmonics
• Biochip Initiative Jena (JBCI)

The research, development, and implementation of innovative technologies and methods aims, in particular, at 

• improving the diagnosis of diseases (qualitatively and quantitatively)
• enabling deep insights into the dynamics of life processes
• opening up new application fields of optical technologies for biomedical cooperation partners

Another focus of the department is on the development and implementation of optical technologies for environmental monitoring and food safety.