Laser Focus World - January 2015

in the program has increased this year,”
says Nelson. “The Green Photonics pro-
gram continues to dazzle with research
that will enable applications in more
efficient photovoltaics, more disaster-
resistant telecommunications systems,
and new solid-state lighting solutions
for the developed as well as the devel-
oping world.”
And once again, SPIE brings in the
heavy hitters with several plenary,
keynote, and invited talks to be giv-
en by Nobel Laureates: Eric Betzig and
William Moerner will speak about their
prize-winning work in
the field of microscopy
(search on their names
at http://www.spie.
org/photonics-west.
xml to bring up the
presentations); Shuji
Nakamura will ad-
dress the SPIE Fellows
luncheon (see http://
spie.org/PW/special-
events/Membership-
Event); Thomas
Südhof will give the
Neurophotonics ple-
nary on Tuesday
(February 10, 2–3 pm),
a new plenary area
this year; and Kostya
Novoselov, Isamu
Akasaki, Hiroshi
Amano, and Shuji
Nakamura are all au-
thors of papers being presented.

“The SPIE Photonics West Exhibition
is sold out for 2015 with all available
space currently committed and a wait-
ing list in place,” says Peter Hallett, SPIE
director, marketing and industry rela-
tions. “Approximately 1250 suppliers,
developers, and manufacturers of the
latest products, tools, and applications
for research and industry will be on the
floor.” Hallett adds, “This year, 13 in-
ternational cluster and 4 U.S. regional
cluster booths are participat-
ing, including new-in-2015 pa-
vilions from Taiwan, Austria,
and Korea that make SPIE
Photonics West a true glob-
al marketplace where people
can speak face-to-face with
the best suppliers from around
the world.”
And last but not least, please
attend the SPIE Photonics West
welcome reception on Monday,
February 9 from 7 to 8: 30 pm.
With the theme of the reception
being “Creatures of the Light”
in the 2015 International Year
of Light, how can you go
wrong? SPIE says it will take a
“creative look backward to the
beginnings of time when light
was all we had.”

BiOS and Translational
Research virtual symposium

The Biomedical Optics Symposium (BiOS) and BiOS Expo will open Photonics West on Saturday, February 7. BiOS is organized into five tracks, including Photonic Therapeutics and Diagnostics; Clinical Technologies and Systems; and Nano/Biophotonics. Each of the other two tracks is a mouthful: Tissue Optics, Laser-Tissue Interaction, and Tissue Engineering; and Biomedical Spectroscopy, Microscopy, and Imaging. In addition, Translational Research is a virtual symposium that in- cludes BiOS presentations in all five tracks—on technol- ogies, tools, and techniques that show high potential to improve healthcare practice.

If past years are any indication, even
after a full day exploring the confer-
ences, exhibits, and interactive post-
er session, attendees will bring enthu-
siastic attention to the Saturday Hot
Topics plenary ( 7–9 pm). Hot Topics
will begin with presentation of SPIE’s
2015 awards in biomedical optics, in-
cluding the Biophotonics Technology
Innovator Award (as of late November,
the winner had not been announced)
and the Britton Chance Biomedical
Optics Award, which will honor Lihong
Wang of Washington University (St.
Louis, MO) for “outstanding lifetime
contributions” (see Fig. 1). Wang is be-
ing recognized for his pioneering tech-
nical work and visionary leadership
in the development and application of
photoacoustics and photon transport
modeling; he will deliver a talk titled
“Photon-Phonon Synergy: Photoacoustic
Tomography and Beyond.”
Next, seven other speakers will take
the stage. Three of these will focus on
cancer screening and treatment: Vadim
Backman of Northwestern University will
speak on cancer screening and nanoscale
cytology; Paola Taroni of Politecnico di
Milano (Italy) will explain optical as-
sessment of collagen and breast cancer;

FIGURE 1. Lihong Wang of Washington University in St Louis will receive SPIE’s 2015 Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award in recognition of pioneering technical work and visionary leadership in the development and application of photoacoustics and photon-transport modeling.