Back in late 2023, the SWOPT consortium was approached by the group of Dr. Giannis Zacharakis, who was interested in contributing to the project, through the HopOn Facility.
Dr. Zacharakis is a Research Director at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser – Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH – IESL) and the Head of the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging. His group is focused on developing novel tools and key enabling technologies for imaging biological processes in living systems, ranging from cells to organs to whole organisms. Their activity includes both applied and fundamental research on novel photonic devises, concepts and new theory development and has developed technologies for three-dimensional, tomographic imaging in model organisms and novel optical and optoacoustic microscopic techniques to extend imaging capabilities to unprecedented depths in opaque media.
After the HopON proposal was successful, the SWOPT project was amended to include FORTH as new partner. The contribution of Dr. Zacharakis laboratory will increase the innovation level of SWOPT by bringing new computational models for acoustic wave phenomena, and new biological models based on 2D/3D cell cultures that will allow to reduce animal experimentation. In addition, the SWOPT impact will be improved by the addition of a new work package aiming to demonstrate the capabilities of the new SWOPT system by comparing it to the state-of-the-art multiphoton microscopy.
After a meticulous process, the amendment has finally come into effect. We are looking forward to seeing the exciting new research avenues, and to discover the results that the new partner will bring to us. Welcome to the SWOPT team!