About... Biophotonics

Biophotonics is the application of optics and photonics to Life Sciences. It can be applied to fundamental research, environmental analyses, or biomedical diagnosis and intervention. It is a transdisciplinary domain that belongs to Physics (optics, photonics), Chemistry (spectroscopy, chromophores, nanomaterials), Biology, Biochemistry, Medecine (DNA, proteins, cells, tissues, organisms), Engineering (instrumentation) and Ethics (in Medecine, Biology, environment and research).

A research domain in full expansion

Biophotonics is at the core of considerable stakes, be them societal, economical or technological. It concerns life sciences and medicine: the therapeutic applications of lasers and optical fibers are increasing in number every year; new imaging techniques makes the human body transparent and open the way towards the exploration of the infinitely small.

Laval, a leader in Biophotonics

Due to the major impact of Biophotonics in diverse domains such as Medecine, Ecology, Environment, the food industry and fundamental research, the opportunities at the University or industrial levels are numerous and career advancement is rapid. The employment opportunities in the industry are numerous in R&D, quality control, project management, production, etc. The main sectors involved are health (therapy in the hospital environment, medical imaging, biomaterials, cosmetics, etc.), the food industry, ecology, environment (for example, the detection of contaminants) as well as in the military field. But expertise in Biophotonics is very rare. The leading-edge industries in Québec, in Canada and the rest of the World cannot find qualified personnel in Biophotonics, able to interpret both the biological and optics problems and challenges, since no training in the field existed until now. The Master’s and PhD programs in Biophotonics at Laval University are thus a unique opportunity.