Healing Light Reaching Its Potential

Karen A. Newman, Group Publisher, karen.newman@photonics.com

Light-based technologies, including those used in medical research, health care and across the life sciences, will be the center of attention in 2015 following the proclama tion late last month of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies by the UN General Assembly. The announcement underscores the need to raise awareness of all light-based technologies and their potential to solve global issues.

For more information about the International Year of Light, you can read an interview with John Dudley of the European Physical Society in the “Light Speed” section of the October 2013 issue of Photonics Spectra, our sister publication. You can also see the news announcement of the UN action at http://photonics.com/a55592 and follow the latest planning and developments throughout the year at Photonics.com.

One light-based technology that has struggled to find its place is coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, but that may be changing. As contributing editor Marie Freebody explains in our cover story, CARS delivers label-free imaging and has proved especially successful in imaging unstained lipids. CARS also brings a previously unseen perspective on the brain and spinal cord, making it a powerful tool in neurodegenerative applications. Read the entire feature, beginning on page 23.

Since 1954, the founders of Laurin Publishing and Photonics Media have covered, encouraged, supported and applauded the young and dynamic photonics industry through the development of leading directories, magazines, websites and much more, and this year we are proudly celebrating a few milestones of our own. The unsurpassed Photonics Buyers’ Guide was first published 60 years ago, and BioPhotonics – the magazine you’re reading now – has connected research and applications of light-based technologies in the life sciences for 20 years.

We’re kicking off our celebration during SPIE Photonics West and BiOS in early February, and we invite you to visit us at booth 8701 at BiOS and at booths 700 and 701 at Photonics West. Join us and share on video how you got your start in the photonics industry and how your work in biophotonics is helping to change the world. You may find yourself part of an upcoming Photonics Media video.

Enjoy the issue. Share your thoughts and comments with me at karen.newman@photonics.com.