M Squared funded to develop new bio-medical lasers
The new lasers to be developed under the FAST-DOT program will
be much smaller and more efficient than current lasers, which are
not portable and are heavy on energy consumption. The new lasers
will be designed for use in microscopy and nanosurgery, where high
precision cutting, imaging and treatment therapies will be made
possible.
The new lasers will mean that surgeons and life scientists will
have access to much higher performance and lower cost lasers than
are currently available and will open up exciting new application
areas for lasers in biomedicine.
The four year project funded by the European Commission is being
lead by Dundee and includes partnerships with M-Squared Lasers in
Glasgow and Sheffield University. The impressive list of
collaborating European partners include Phillips, Alcatel Thales
and The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Five new research
posts will be created in Dundee with the money and nearly 100 man
years of effort will be directed towards the world class research
throughout the partnership.
Prof Edik Rafailov, of the University of Dundee, says "This
project will revolutionise the use of lasers in the biomedical
field, providing both practitioners and researchers with pocket
sized ultra high performance lasers at a substantially lower cost
which will make their widespread use affordable."
Dr Graeme Malcolm, Chief Executive Officer of M-Squared Lasers
Ltd, echoed Prof Rafailov's comments and said "A step change
improvement in the cost, size and robustness of ultrafast lasers is
needed before they can benefit bio-medical applications
fully. Technologies developed by FAST-DOT will enable these lasers
to migrate from the bench-top to hospitals and laboratories. We're
looking forward to contributing to that transition, and developing
next-generation, workhorse systems that bring new capabilities to
these applications."
News of this project was also reported by the BBC, and by the University of Dundee.
(The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish charity, No:
SC015096.)