About This Webinar
Over the past 30 years, near-infrared, Ti:sapphire lasers have made a significant contribution toward our understanding of many key biological processes. The longer-wavelength lasers (>920 nm) can penetrate much deeper into tissues than visible lasers. As a result, when longer-wavelength lasers are in use, in vivo experiments can be designed to monitor respiration, blood flow, and other parameters vital for survival. When continuous-wave lasers are employed, steady-state concentrations of oxygen found in the blood can tell us when and where a stroke has occurred. When femtosecond pulsed lasers are used, structural and temporal information can tell us how much damage was caused. When used in cell biology, lasers enable multiphoton microscopy to provide information essential to understanding the mechanism of HIV infection. This information can be used to develop new treatments and extend a patient’s life. Read discusses a brief history of lasers together with two examples of how femtosecond lasers enable new medical advancements.
***This presentation premiered during the 2022
BioPhotonics Conference. For more information on Photonics Media conferences, visit
events.photonics.com.
About the presenter
Ian Read, Ph.D., is senior manager, product marketing for MKS - Spectra-Physics Scientific Laser Division. During his 20 years with Spectra-Physics, he has held several positions in both sales and marketing. In his current role, Read manages a small group focused on marketing lasers used for scientific research and bioimaging. He received his doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002 under the direction of David H. Waldeck, where he studied condensed-phase time-resolved (femtosecond and picosecond) spectroscopy of molecular complexes.