This sub-theme will focus on Kent researchers who are developing new light-based technologies (and supporting computational capabilities) for faster communications, green energy and biomedical imaging. It will encourage greater dialogue with users of light technology, particularly those working in biological sciences and pharmacy, where light is employed in a range of advanced microscopy and sensing techniques, as well as physiology, medicine and global development, where light is the basis of a rapidly developing field of minimally invasive diagnostics and interventional guidance. This sub-theme will link all members of the theme with a shared pool of clinicians in collaborating NHS Trusts in Kent, London and beyond (see example letters of support), and eventually our own new medical school.
Sub-theme A: Light for Science and Medicine:Light for Medicine, Biosciences, Communications, Engineering and Physical Sciences
A1. Light for Medical Imaging (AOG/SPS):Ophthalmology and optometry, ((A.Podoleanu,A.Bradu,G.Dobre)/SPS+P.Lee/EDA); Endoscopy (A.Podoleanu,M.Hughes/SPS+M.Garrett/SoB+S.Krusch/SMAS),(J.Ang/EDA);Image processing (C.Solomon, S.Gibson/SPS+M.Batty/SoC) +G.Lall/MSoP; Imaging suite at animal facility in Sandwich (AOG/SPS+G.Lall/MSoP+D.Griffin/SoB);Algorithms (A.Bradu/SPS)+(A.Hone, A.Kume)/SMAS).
Ophthalmology:
Current funded project of the Applied Optics Group and Imperial College London on imaging the lung:
A2. Light for Cancer (SoB): Imaging instrumentation (A.Podoleanu,A.Bradu,M.Hughes/SPS); Contrast agents (G.Dobre,R.Barker/SPS); Sensing for microfluidics (A.Podoleanu,M.Hughes,A.Bradu/SPS); Circulating tumour cells (A.Podoleanu/SPS+V.Gubala/MSoP); Drug delivery assessed by light (A.Podoleanu/SPS+(M.Garrett, N.Kad)/SoB+V.Sumbayev/MSoP), contrast agents for theranostics (AOG/SPS+M.Garrett/SoB).
A3. Light for Reproduction, Embryology, Photobioreaction and Microscopy (CISOR/SoB): Imaging and measurements for IVF and CISOR (D.Griffin,G.Robinson/SoB+(A.Podoelanu,ABradu)/SPS); Imaging Drosophila (A.Podoleanu,A.Bradu)/SPS+P.Phelan/SoB));Tadpolestudies (A.Bradu/SPS+S.Koutsikou/MSoP), Plants, Algae, Photosynthesis (G. Robinson/SoB+A.Podoleanu/SPS); United microscopy suite for teaching and research (Confocal suite in SoB, OCT labs in the AOG/SPS);
Current funded project of the Applied Optics Group and School of Biosciences:
Past funded project of the Applied Optics Group and School of Biosciences:
Training of our Physicists in using clinical instrumentation at Northwick Park Hospital London
A4. Light and Energy (FMG/SPS): Laser physics ((A.Podoleanu,G.Dobre)/SPS), Convert Energy Ltd); Energy and environment (G.Dobre,M.Green/SPS); Nonlinear conversion, quantum optics (SPS); micro CT combined with OCT (A.Podoleanu/SPS+M.Skinner/SoAC).
A5. Light for Communications (EDA): Sparse communications ((N.Gomes,C.Wang)/EDA+S.Gibson/SPS);Optical communications, radio over fibre (N.Gomes,C.Wang)/EDA+A.Podoleanu/SPS); Waveguides and integrated optics (AOG/SPS+I.Wood/SMA+C.Wang/EDA).
A6. Light in Space (CAPS/SPS): Space observation, adaptive optics for telescopes (CAPS/SPS+AOG/SPS+A.Kume/SMAS);Zernike polynomials (SK/SMAS);interferometry for spacecraft; OCT testing of panspermia results after gas gun impacts (M.Burchell/SPS); NDT of space debris (AOG+CAPS).
Inspecting Light from the sky – Kentish night skies: (image courtesy of M. Marques and S. Makin)
A7. Light for Sensing (AOG/SPS): Fibre sensors for medical diagnosis ((AOG+C.Solomon+R.Barker)/SPS); laser tweezers (A.Podoleanu/SPS+N.Kad/SoB); ultra-fast scanning of cells for biosciences, organoid on a chip, theranostics ((A.Podoleanu,G.Dobre)/SPS+N.Kad/SoB+(F.Deravi+C.Wang)/EDA), microfluidics (R.Barker/SPS+V.Gubala/MSoP).
Detecting dyes using Spectroscopic OCT
A8. Light for materials (SPS): photonic materials, photonics crystal fibre, nonlinear optics ((A.Hone+I.Woods)/SMAS+(C.Serpell/SPS+, many other colleagues in SPS).
Spin dependent materials
A9. Light for GCRF and low resource settings (EDA): Light for smart illumination, Energy efficient cities, projects with social impact ((F.Deravi,J.Ang)/EDA+M.Batty/SoC+AOG)
A10. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Light and Light for AI (SoC): AI in design of Photonics materials, AI in diagnose based OCT, optical computers for AI, graphic cards and FPGAS for AI in OCT ((H.Bowman+M.Batty)/SoC+(M.Green+S.Gibson+A.Podoleanu)/SPS +P.Lee/EDA).