FIP Seminar: From Photons to Patients: Translating Optical Innovation into Biophotonic Clinical Impact

Biomedical engineering continues to present an expanding range of opportunities to deepen our fundamental understanding of biological systems and human physiology. Yet a persistent gap remains between scientific discovery and its translation into technologies that meaningfully improve clinical care. My experience developing biomedical technologies and contributing to 16 issued U.S. patents has reinforced a central lesson: achieving meaningful impact often requires scientists and engineers to extend their work beyond fundamental discovery and embrace the scientific, technical, and translational risks associated with converting promising concepts into practical solutions. In this invited talk, I will discuss several examples from my work at the intersection of photonics, biomedical engineering, and clinical translation, highlighting the progression from fundamental scientific investigation to technologies designed to address unmet clinical needs. These developments include point-of-care optical assessment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and related autoimmune conditions; monitoring and detection of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in critically ill neonates; label-free assessment of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in pediatric patients; and real-time, label-free intraoperative nerve detection and identification to help reduce the risk of iatrogenic nerve injury during surgery. Collectively, these examples illustrate both the opportunities and challenges involved in translating biomedical optical technologies from the laboratory toward clinical application. The presentation will emphasize how problem-driven engineering, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to clinical translation can help bridge the divide between scientific innovation and technologies capable of producing meaningful improvements in patient care.