Carlos Antón Solanas (University of Madrid)

Photocredits: BBVA Foundation

“Quantum photonic applications with quantum materials”

This lecture introduces quantum photonic applications by bridging quantum optics with protocols in communication and information processing. After a quantum description of light, probabilistic and deterministic generation strategies are compared, with a focus on solid-state platforms like semiconductor quantum dots and their integration into nanophotonic structures. The session explores how these photonic states enable technologies such as quantum key distribution, teleportation, and repeaters, concluding with the challenges and future perspectives for scalable quantum networks and processors.

Dr. Carlos Antón Solanas (PhD, U Madrid, 2015) is a “Talent Attraction” researcher at the Autonomous University of Madrid, specializing in solid-state quantum optics and single-photon sources. Following postdoctoral work at CNRS and in Germany, he is now a principle investigator of several copetitive projects, including a European QuantERA 2023 consortium. His research focuses on quantum dots and emerging materials like hexagonal boron nitride coupled to photonic cavities. With over 50 publications, he has received the 2024 UAM Young Researchers Award and a 2023 BBVA Leonardo Scholarship.

Jürgen Popp (Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology & University of Jenna)

Top left: compact CARS/TPEF/SHG fiber probe; top right: CARS/SHG/TPEF image of head and neck tissue section; bottom left: pathological gold standard H&E image; bottom right: MDR compatible Raman fiber probe system for in-vivo use in operation rooms

copyright Döhring Leibniz-IPHT

“Raman-Based Photonic Technologies for Infection Diagnostics and Intraoperative Cancer Guidance“

Raman-based technologies have emerged as a powerful complement to traditional fluorescence, offering unprecedented molecular specificity for life sciences and biomedical research. Although spontaneous Raman scattering is limited by low sensitivity, signal-enhancing techniques such as resonance Raman and coherent Raman scattering (CARS) effectively overcome these barriers. These linear and nonlinear modalities enable the label-free characterization of diverse biological systems, ranging from single prokaryotic cells to whole organs. The clinical utility of these approaches is demonstrated through two primary frontiers: rapid microbial analysis for infection diagnostics and intraoperative tumor characterization. By integrating spectral fingerprints with machine learning, high-content phenotyping of pathogens and immune responses becomes possible. Furthermore, fiber-based probes and multimodal nonlinear imaging—combining CARS with two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG)—provide real-time morphochemical contrast for surgical guidance. Collectively, these advancements establish a versatile biophotonic toolbox for “see-and-treat” protocols, bridging fundamental photonics with translational oncology and infectious disease management.

Jürgen Popp is a leading expert in biophotonics and optical health technologies, serving as the Chair of Physical Chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Scientific Director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT). His research encompasses the entire innovation chain, with a primary focus on translating Raman spectroscopic approaches and AI-based methods into clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. A highly prolific scientist with over 1,140 publications and 21 patents, he has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award and an honorary doctorate from the University at Albany. Beyond his research, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biophotonics and the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, and he leads major national infrastructures like the Leibniz Center for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI) to accelerate translational photonic systems.

Christine Hellweg (DLR, Köln) 

“Space Life Sciences“

Setting foot on uninhabited planets or moons is a great dream of humankind. To make this dream become true, the effects of space travel on the human body and biological systems have to be understood and mitigated. Space life sciences is a multidisciplinary field focused on mitigating the physiological and psychological risks of long-duration space travel, such as microgravity and cosmic radiation. By integrating molecular biology, radiation dosimetry, and clinical research, the field develops countermeasures to ensure astronaut safety and explore the potential for life beyond Earth. This overview highlights recent advancements in maintaining biological health, transitioning from ground-based analog simulations to actual microgravity environments.

PD Dr. med. vet. Christine E. Hellweg (2001 Dr. med. vet., 2012 Habilitation) is Vice Director of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany, since January 2025. Before, she was head of the Department of Radiation Biology at the same Institute addressing aerospace-related topics concerning the effects of radiation on humans and the biosphere, as well as characterizing the unique radiation field in space. She studied veterinary medicine at the Free University (FU) of Berlin and specialized in radiation biology afterwards. She was and is Principal Investigator (PI) of numerous heavy ion beam time experiments at the French heavy ion accelerator GANIL and at GSI in Germany. She teaches at the FU Berlin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Immunology), at the University of Mainz, and at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany (Radiation Biology).

Dirk Richter (Quanta 3, University of Colorado Boulder, USA)

„Advancing Trace Gas Detection: Novel Tunable Laser Sources and Spectrometers for Atmospheric Chemistry and Emission Monitoring“

The air we breathe contains trace gases often invisible and odorless that profoundly influence human health, climate, and environmental processes through complex atmospheric and biospheric cycles. Anthropogenic and natural emissions of key gases such as methane, CO₂, and reactive species drive these impacts, yet their accurate measurement remains challenging.

This presentation highlights the development and application of advanced mid-infrared tunable laser sources and high-sensitivity spectrometers designed to address these challenges. Drawing from two decades of airborne atmospheric research and subsequent commercialization, the talk presents selected innovations, including compact laser-based sensors for ultra-sensitive detection in field and industrial settings. Examples span fundamental studies of atmospheric chemistry (e.g., from polar to equatorial missions) to real-world commercial emission monitoring for regulatory compliance and environmental protection.

Attendees will gain insights into the technological advancements enabling precise, real-time gas measurements, the transition from research to practical deployment, and the broader implications for air quality, climate science, and emission reduction strategies.

Dr. Dirk Richter is the Founder and CEO of Quanta3 and a Research Affiliate at the University of Colorado Boulder (INSTAAR). With over 20 years of experience in airborne atmospheric science, he has led the development of ultra-sensitive laser spectrometers for NASA, NOAA, and NSF missions to measure trace gases. Holding a PhD from Rice University and multiple patents, Dr. Richter specializes in transitioning fundamental research into commercial environmental monitoring solutions

Martin Beye (University of Stockholm & DESY) 

“Ultrafast Spectroscopy in and on Solid Matter” 

This presentation will discuss how ultrashort X-ray pulses from the most modern particle-accelerator-based photon sources can be used to understand dynamics in solid matter as well as on solid surfaces. Such methods are applied to elucidate processes at the atomic level that can be utilized for novel functionalized materials as well as for optimizing reactions in the chemical industry. X-rays have the advantage of being highly penetrating, selective to different atomic constituents and being able to resolve the atomic scale. With intense, ultrashort pulses now being available, generated from kilometer-long accelerators, we can obtain an unprecedented view on the structure of matter and the motion of electrons between atoms. The presentation will give an overview of the available sources of such pulses, how these unique photons are generated and how X-ray spectroscopy can be used to generate an understanding. Some research highlights will be shown together with their potential applications and impact.

Prof. Dr. Martin Beye is a Professor of Chemical Physics at Stockholm University and a former scientific head of the FLASH X-ray free-electron laser facility. Having earned his PhD from Hamburg University and conducted research in Stanford and Berlin, he specializes in developing X-ray spectroscopy methods to study atomic-level catalytic processes. His work focuses on observing the breaking and creation of chemical bonds to advance sustainable chemical energy and catalyst design.

Walter Neu (ILO, University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer)

Optical spectroscopy enables for unique methods in atomic and molecular analytics due to its extraordinary selectivity and sensitivity in probing on either organic or inoCrganic samples. Spectroscopic properties of solids, liquids, gases such as absorbance, fluorescence, scattering, and resonantly enhanced optical emission allow for qualitative and quantitative material and environmental analysis. This includes trace analysis, characterization of biological tissue, dynamic surface probing, and monitoring and process control in technical processes. The combination of different elemental and molecular spectroscopic techniques, such as Laser-Induced Plasma (LIBS) and Raman spectroscopy, report on complementary properties of atomic and molecular species in a variety of samples. Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy is well established as a universal method for multi-element analysis on samples in arbitrary states of matter. Similar to Raman spectroscopy, almost no sample preparation or sample digestion is required. Raman spectroscopy, unlike fluorescence methods, does not require any labeling and is thus as universal on a molecular basis as LIBS spectroscopy for elemental analysis. Moreover, optical spectroscopy is a non-contact non-destructive method which can be applied remotely in harsh environments and also on delicate samples. Examples will be presented on industrial, biological, and trace analysis challenges on a wide range of samples, revealing the potential for online, on-site and in-situ analysis.