Photonics Center 2024 Symposium “Lighting the Brain” Highlights Six Neurophotonics Experts as well as Student Presenters
On November 21, 2024, Professor Chen Yang gathered speakers across industry and academia for her organized symposium “Lighting the Brain,” the topic of the 26th annual Photonics Center Symposium. With a blend of Boston University and external presenters, an audience of graduate students, faculty, staff, and international colleagues were invited to learn about the recent innovations involving photonics and optics research in neuroscience––or, more commonly known, neurophotonics.
“The symposium covered a broad range of talks in the area of light interfacing with brain innovatively as tools for fundamental studies as well as emerging clinical applications,” explains Professor Yang. As ever, the symposium began with opening remarks from the organizer (Yang) and Center Director and VPR ad interim Thomas Bifano.
Each of the six speakers are prominent researchers in their fields, with varying backgrounds in physics, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, material engineering and biological chemistry. Their presentations included topics on developing new molecular probes, imaging technologies, and material systems for imaging and modulating the brain, with insights into how the brain functions.
A unique addition to this year’s symposium included a round of “lightening talks,” in which four students were invited to present their research to a dedicated audience of scholars.
Professor Yang notes it as an important part of this year’s symposium. “Trainees (postdoc and PhD students) are essentially the driving force behind all research [at Boston University]. It was just exciting to see how they discussed their research with strong passion and expertise. Our excellent student lightening talks indeed showcased the excellence in BU student research in these areas.”
Every year the Photonics Center symposium brings together not only members of the BU community, but the research community at large––notably, within Boston. This year saw guests from Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, to name a few.
“The Photonics Center owes a debt of gratitude to Professor Chen Yang for hosting an engaging and stimulating symposium focused on the important theme of brain imaging,” Center Director and VPR ad interim, Dr. Thomas Bifano, says. “Our community was inspired by talks given by distinguished faculty speakers, and delighted by the inclusion of BU graduate students who gave “lightning talks” on their own exciting research achievements.”
And the feeling is mutually held by Professor Yang. “We are grateful for the Photonics Center to offer the annual opportunity for the community to get together,” Yang says. “The Photonics Center Symposium is a highly impactful event.”