Biophotonic Instrumentation Group

From theory to practice—new talent, new innovations

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List of funding bodies for the projects mentioned in the article. The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding the ZAKI (HyperVismo) and OptoCarDi projects. The European Union (EU) is funding the OpenLab for OCT project. The setup was financed by EFRE / REACT-EU as part of the Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the European Union (NextGenerationEU) continues to fund the OpenLab AI project. The BMBF also funds the InfectoXplore project.

The Biophotonic Instrumentation Group continues to grow and advance research projects with new staff and students.

With the newly created research space, the working group welcomed three new research assistants last year:

  • Richard Klein is working on the OpenLab AI project (BMBF/EU, FKZ: 16DKWN111) on the automatic segmentation of pathological plaques in intravascular OCT data using machine learning methods.
  • Andreas Kleiber is developing a modular hyperspectral imaging system in the HyperVismo project (ZAKI) that can be used intraoperatively and endoscopically.
  • Florian Hartz is building an automated blood filtration system as part of InfectoXPlore (BMBF, FKZ: 13GW0459E) that enables the rapid identification of bacteria in combination with Raman spectroscopy.

Numerous student assistants and theses also benefit from the intensive research activities. Currently, two bachelor’s and three master’s students are writing their theses in the group:

  • Henrik Thiedig is expanding the existing OCT system from the OpenLab for OCT (EU, FKZ: 2021 FGI 0021) and TOOLS (DFG, FKZ: 528591139 – FIP 31/1) with a fluorescence imaging unit.
  • Katharina Seiffarth is researching AI-supported methods for imaging through scattering media.
  • Leonhard Knipfelberg is developing a neural network for software-based noise reduction in OCT images.
  • Annegret Umann is working on the OptoCarDi project (CZS, FKZ: P2022-07-003) on a multimodal OCT and autofluorescence system for the diagnosis of heart muscle inflammation.
  • Clara Kristen is developing an OCT system for the diagnosis of middle ear infections in the OCToScope project.

In addition, master’s students Umann and Kristen are supporting the work in the OpenLab AI project by developing an AI chatbot for the master’s program in medical technology.

The close integration of research, study, and practice shows how the working group involves young talent while simultaneously advancing the development of innovative biomedical imaging systems—a win for research, teaching, and clinical application alike.

Editor

Konstantin Gramatte

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