Biophotonics is the science and technology of the interaction of photons within and on biological systems.

The term was first used and introduced about 1990 by L.V.Beloussov (Chair of embryology, Moscow State University, grandson of Alexander Gurwitsch) and F.A.Popp (see biophotons). Of basic importance is the analysis of biophoton emission and luminescence, in particular delayed luminescence. Fundamental knowledge and application of photobiology, photobiophysics and photochemistry, including quantum optics and the techniques of optical engineering belong to the instruments of this interdisciplinary direction of science. There are two renowned groups of many years standing experience, e.g. the International Institute of Biophysics (IIB) and the American National Science Foundation which took up this term Biophotonics at about 1995 in just the same sense. Biophotonics developed to one of the most fashionable interdisciplinary approach to all topics of lifesciences. There are already a lot of applications and a rapid integration in medicine, food science, environmental protection, and optical engineering.

Some References.

Popp, F.A., Li, K.H. and Gu,Q. (eds.): Recent Advances in Biophoton Research and Its Applications. World Scientific, Singapore 1992. Beloussov, L.V. and Popp,F.A. (eds.):Biophotonics. Moscow State Univesity 1994, Bioinform-Services, Russia 1995. Cohen, S., and Popp,F.A.:Low-level luminescence of the human skin. Skin Research and Technology 3 (1997), 177-180. Beloussov, L.V., Popp,F.A., Voiekov, V., and van Wijk, R.:Biophotonics and Coherent Systems. Moscow University Press, Moscow 2000. Popp,F.A. and Beloussov, L.(eds.): Biophotonics. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht-Boston-London 2003. Prasad, P.N.: Introduction to Biophotonics. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey 2003. Van Wijk, R. and Shen,X. (eds.):Biophotonics, Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York 2005. www.lifescientists.de

Other explenation:

The term biophotonics denotes a combination of biology and photonics, with photonics being the younger sister of electronics and reflecting the expectation that photons might play a similar central role in future information technology as electrons do today. Main articles: Life All organisms (viruses not included) consist of cells, which in turn, are based on a common carbon-based biochemistry. ... Photonics is the science and technology of generating and controlling photons, particularly in the visible and near infra-red light spectrum. ... Two digital voltmeters The field of electronics is the study and use of electrical devices that operate by controlling the flow of electrons or other electrically charged particles in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ... In physics, the photon (from Greek φοτος, meaning light) is a quantum of excitation of the quantised electromagnetic field and is one of the elementary particles studied by quantum electrodynamics (QED) which is the oldest part of the Standard Model of particle physics. ... Categories: Information technology ... Properties The electron (also called negatron, commonly represented as e−) is a subatomic particle. ...

Biophotonics has therefore become the established general term for all techniques that deal with the relation of organic material and photons, the quantum units of light. This refers to emission, detection, absorption, reflection, modification, and creation of photon radiation from living organisms and organic material. Areas of application are life science, medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. Organic has several meanings and related topics. ... In physics, the photon (from Greek φοτος, meaning light) is a quantum of excitation of the quantised electromagnetic field and is one of the elementary particles studied by quantum electrodynamics (QED) which is the oldest part of the Standard Model of particle physics. ... The word quantum, pl. ... Prism splitting light Light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength that is visible to the eye or, in a technical or scientific setting, electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength. ... Biology studies the variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology is the science of life (from the Greek words bios = life and logos = word). ... Medicine on the Web NLM (National Library of Medicine, contains resources for patients and healthcare professionals) Virtual Hospital (digital health sciences library by the University of Iowa) Online Medical Dictionary Collection of links to free medical resources Categories: Medicine | Health ... Environmental science is the science of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment, including their effects on all types of organisms but more often refers to human impact on the environment. ...

Applications

In microscopy, the development and refinement of the confocal microscope, the fluorescence microscope, and the total internal reflection fluorescence microscope all belong to the field of biophotonics. Microscopy is any technique for producing visible images of structures or details too small to otherwise be seen by the human eye, using a microscope or other magnification tool. ... Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM or LSCM) is a valuable tool for obtaining high resolution images and 3-D reconstructions. ... A Fluorescence Microscope is a light microscope used to study properties of organic or inorganic substances using the phenomena of fluorescence and phosphorescence instead of, or in addition to, reflection and absorption. ... Principle of the TIRFM A total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) is a type of microscope with which a thin region of a specimen, usually less than 200 nm, can be observed. ...

The specimen that are imaged with microscopic techniques can also be manipulated by optical tweezers and laser scalpels, which are further applications in the field of biophotonics. Optical tweezers are the application of a laser beam to physically move very small translucent objects. ... A laser scalpel is a scalpel for surgery, cutting tissue by the energy of laser light. ...

External links

• NSF science and technology center for Biophotonis at UC Davis
• Centre for Biophotonics at University of Strathclyde, UK
• The Institute for Lasers Photonics and Biophotonics at U Buffalo, NY
• BIOP - Technical University of Denmark
• International Institute of Biophysics, Neuss, Germany
• Biophotonics Imaging Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

For a controversial minority view of Biophotonics see: Biophoton A Biophoton (from the Greek βιο meaning life and φωτο meaning light) is a term that refers to light emitted in some fashion from biological systems. ...