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465-0952-00L 3 Credits BSC , MSC , NDS D-CHAB , D-MAVT , D-PHYS , D-ITET , D-HEST
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Biomedical Photonics

Lecturers & Examiners: Dr. Héctor Andrés Estrada Beltran
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-01 11:33:04

Abstract

The lecture introduces the principles of light generation, light propagation in tissue and detection of light and its therapeutic and diagnostic application in medicine.

Objective

The students are expected to aquire a basic understanding of the fundamental physical principles within biomedical photonics. In particular, they will develop a broad skill set for research in fundamentals of light-tissue interaction, technologies such as microscopy, lasers and fiber optics and issues related to light applications in therapeutics and diagnostics in medicine.

Content

Optics always was strongly connected to the observation and interpretation of physiological phenomenon. The basic knowledge of optics for example was initially gained by studying the function of the human eye. Nowadays, biomedical optics is an independent research field that is no longer restricted to the observation of physiological processes but studies diagnostic and therapeutic problems in medicine. A basic prerequisite for applying optical techniques in medicine is the understanding of the physical properties of light, the light propagation in and its interaction with tissue. The lecture gives inside into the generation, propagation and detection of light, its propagation in tissue and into selected optical applications in medicine. Various optical imaging techniques (optical coherence tomography or optoacoustics) as well as therapeutic laser applications (refractive surgery, photodynamic therapy or nanosurgery) will be discussed.

Resources

Lecture Notes

will be provided via Internet (Moodle)

Literature

- M. Born, E. Wolf, "Principles of Optics", Pergamon Press - B.E.A. Saleh, M.C. Teich, "Fundamentals of Photonics", John Wiley and Sons, Inc. - O. Svelto, "Principles of Lasers", Plenum Press - J. Eichler, T. Seiler, "Lasertechnik in der Medizin", Springer Verlag - M.H. Niemz, "Laser-Tissue Interaction", Springer Verlag - A.J. Welch, M.J.C. van Gemert, "Optical-thermal response of laser-irradiated tissue", Plenum Press

General Information

Language
English
Levels
BSC , MSC , NDS
Frequency
Every two years

Examination

Type
end-of-semester examination
Mode
written 90 minutes
Aids
None

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Biomedical Photonics
  • Tue 10:15-12:00 (HG G 26.5)
2 h weekly

Offered In