The Jena-Davis Alliance of Excellence in Biophotonics (JeDis) is a transatlantic initiative launched in 2018 in which the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), work closely together in research on biophotonic methods and in teaching. JeDis' goals also include intensifying communication between (junior) researchers, multipliers, and young leaders to strengthen long-term relationships, as well as promoting multidisciplinary scientific and intercultural exchange across continents.
On the occasion of the anniversary, a delegation from Jena traveled to the American colleagues in Davis in September 2022 to honor the joint work of the past years, to look back on research results achieved, and to agree on future goals of a continued close partnership.
Successful German-American cooperation
An essential component of the joint collaboration between Leibniz IPHT and UC Davis within the JeDis initiative was the interdisciplinary networking of excellent scientists. Both institutions complement each other through their expertise: UC Davis, for example, has many years of experience in the field of fluorescence lifetime imaging. Leibniz IPHT brought its expertise in Raman spectroscopy and multimodal imaging to the partnership. By combining this expertise, research into new photonic solutions for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases, especially cancer, has been advanced over the past five years.
Several joint summer schools and conferences, such as the Women in Photonics career workshop, were held as part of JeDis. In addition, young scientists visited the respective partner institute for research stays of several months and worked on joint projects. The success of the collaboration between the two institutions can be seen, among other things, in several joint publications that were written and published during this time.
The JeDis project was funded by the German Program for Transatlantic Encounters with money from the ERP Special Fund of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, BMWK), which goes back to the Marshall Plan (officially: European Recovery Program, ERP).
Continuing transatlantic cooperation
Following the five-year funding phase at the end of 2022, the cooperation between Leibniz IPHT and UC Davis shall be further intensified. The form of the cooperation and the common objectives were also the subject of the discussions during the visit of the Jena delegation to Davis. There should also be opportunities for the exchange of scientists in the future in order to jointly advance the translation of photonic solutions to clinical applications. For example, it is planned that Leibniz IPHT will be involved in the new National Center for Interventional Biophotonic Technologies (NCIBT) initiated by UC Davis, which aims to develop light-based technologies for life science applications.
Already in January 2023, on the sidelines of SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, USA, further talks are to be held with representatives of UC Davis, the German Consulate General as well as the German Centre for Research and Innovation (Deutsches Wissenschafts- und Innovationshaus, DWIH), the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), in which the goals of a future cooperation are to be further concretized and possible funding opportunities identified.
About Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Light is at the center of research at Leibniz IPHT. Scientists are researching innovative photonic processes and tools for use in clinical diagnostics, such as infection and cancer diagnostics, pharmacy, and process control, as well as food and environmental safety. An essential aim is to accelerate translation: the translation of research results into practice – from Ideas to Instruments.
