Outreach

From August 9 to 11, the XI School of Biophotonics will be held

Santa María Tonantzintla, Puebla, June 12, 2023. With the aim of bringing undergraduate and graduate students closer to current issues related to the applications of light in the biological and health areas, from 9 to 11 The XI School of Biophotonics organized by the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) will be held next August.

This was reported by Alberto Ascencio Rodríguez and Vania Vázquez Palacios, INAOE doctoral and master's students, respectively.
Biophotonics, explained Alberto Ascencio, is a combination of the biological sciences with the technologies developed by optics and photonics: “That is, applying light to biology. Biophotonics goes further, it seeks to develop optical instrumentation to address biological problems”.

He added that the School is already a tradition at INAOE. It is organized by the Biophotonics group, whose members are Dr. Teresita Spezzia Mazzocco and Dr. Rubén Ramos García and Julio César Ramírez San Juan. Likewise, he indicated that the program is made up of conferences, workshops, visits to laboratories and a poster session.

For her part, Vania Vázquez pointed out that the main objective is for undergraduate, master's and doctoral students in biology, chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, electronic engineering and related careers to discover the possibilities of professional development in biophotonics and how they can apply their knowledge in the area: "For example, a person from Electronic Engineering can see that there is development of equipment or light devices that can be used for therapies and see that the area is not only focused on opticians, but also provides space for their developments.

Asked about the requirements to participate in the School, Alberto Ascencio informed that the School is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students in biological areas, as well as physics and engineering: "It is a multidisciplinary school because the good thing about biophotonics is that it includes to different areas of knowledge. The school seeks to be a meeting point between researchers and students. Students who wish to present their thesis or research work are being invited to participate with a poster”.

Finally, Vania Vázquez pointed out that the event is free and the first foreigners to register can be supported with a place to stay. "For this it is necessary that they send us their average and a letter of reasons to participate in the school, priority will be given to people who are in the last semesters of their degree."

For more information about the School of Biophotonics and to register in it, you can consult the page https://www-optica.inaoep.mx/~EscuelaBiofotonica/index.php