At the Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP)  we have been seeking to take our research domains to other socially relevant areas, particularly the health field.

We are recognised not only for developing optical fibre sensors with high potential for medicine purposes (project FIBDOSE), but also for the high spatial resolution optical imaging techniques that can be used in biological tissue diagnoses and to perform three-dimensional non-invasive reconstructions of micrometric structures, which can be applied in situ and in vivo.

We have a solid collaboration with the Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil (Portuguese Institute of Oncology Francisco Gentil), in Porto, in the area concerning radiation protection in diagnoses and treatment environments, using numerical methods to simulate radiation transport (FLUOROCT).

As far as the new biochemical sensors are concerned, the work we have been carrying out with strategic partners includes designing microfluidic chips to characterise and diagnose cells using optical and electrical methods, methods for analytical imaging based on fluorescence, and studying the interaction of surfaces with proteins and DNA.

Partners:

• University of Kent (United Kingdom)
• IPOFG Porto (Portugal)
• ITN (Sacavém, Portugal)
• ITQB, Oeiras (Portugal)