Nonprofit laser and photonics research institute Laser Zentrum Hannover EV (LZH) has announced plans for a nationwide network on optogenetics. “We are proud to be able to expand our concept in a proposal,” said Dag Heinemann, head of the biophotonics group at the LZH. Optogenetics combines optics and genetic engineering for progress in biomedical sciences and other areas, and the network aims to pool the competencies of relevant research fields to unlock the potential of light-controllable biomolecules in combination with up-to-date light technology. In biomedical sciences, for instance, there are promising approaches for new treatment methods in areas such as neurological diseases. Plans for the network include an intensive dialogue between research, economy, the public and politics, with fundamental knowledge from the laboratory being more quickly transferred to innovative processes and products for the benefit of the society. LZH is an innovative research, development and consulting institute supported by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Economics, Labour and Transport and dedicated to the promotion of applied research in the field of photonics and laser technology. Its focused on the fields of optical components and systems, optical production technologies, and biomedical photonics.