Lifesciences Applications Popular at Photonex Roadshow

Photonex London returned to Imperial College in South Kensington with an exciting conference program on advances in photonic tools and techniques for the life sciences. The opening session focussed on the world of optical nanoscopy: meaning to look at new ways to observe materials beyond the diffraction limit for optical microscopy so the study of features at dimensions below 250 nm in x, y and z. The major breakthroughs in this field were recognised when the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three leading researchers, Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell and William Moerner. This has led to the rapid growth in new microscopy techniques illustrated by many new acronyms coming into use as new techniques are developed.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr Emmanuel Beaurepaire of the Laboratory for Optics and Biosciences at L’Ecole Polytechnique in France. He gave a comprehensive review of multiphoton imaging of developing tissues using multicolour and light-sheet approaches. The work* was illustrated by the use of exceptional movies showing the division of cells in zebra fish and the ability to make whole-brain functional imaging using two-photon light sheet microscopy (2P-SPIM). This approach, which enabled imaging speeds of 50-100 times faster than the point-scanning method, also achieved a strong reduction in unwanted photobleaching effects. The scientific presentations in the proceedings are available online at:www.photonex.org/londonadvances.

The Roadshow was made up with three advanced sciences tracts: apart from the conference presentations, there were educational tutorials, a student poster competition and a tabletop trade exhibition where around 30 companies showcased their photonic products from components to finished analytical and applied solutions. Audience reaction is important to hear. Professor Philipp Kukura from the University of Oxford was one of the speakers. He said “I was impressed with both the breadth of the scientific talks as well as the broad and interesting range of exhibits. I came away with lots of new ideas how to improve our experiments, not much more one can ask for from a one day meeting.”

Organiser, Laurence Devereux of Xmark Media, said he was very happy with the level of support for the meeting; with the pre-registered audience being supplemented by many people from Imperial College attending on the day, there was a buzz about the event that not even heavy April showers could spoil. “Having run the main Photonex event for the last 25 years, our move in to regional roadshows has been well received by delegates and exhibitors. We are off to Scotland next on June 8th for a roadshow hosted at Heriot-Watt University.”  

Photonex returns to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry for a two day event, the UK’s largest showcase dedicated to photonics and light technologies on 12^th and 13^th October. Registration is now open.  (http://www.onlineregistration.co.uk/shows/photonex/16/regphotonex.php).

Photonex is co-located with HSI 2016, the Hyperspectral Imaging & Applications conference, Innovation Live!, Vision UK and Vacuum Expo events. For full details, visit www.photonex.org.

*Published in Nature Methods (2014 and 2015)