Optical Manipulation and Its Applications (OMA)
Events
Optical Manipulation and Its Applications (OMA)
21 – 24 April 2025
Coronado, California, USA
OMA covers the whole range of optical manipulation technologies currently being developed for studies in biophysics, single molecule, single cell and tissue level analysis, optical manipulation of chemical processes in organisms, lab-on-a-chip development, optomechanical cooling, environmental monitoring, and theoretical underpinnings.
Technologies to be considered include optical tweezers and associated techniques, photo activated materials, optogenetics, light-activated drugs and probes and microfluidics. We will = capture synergies between different optical manipulation technologies with a view of encouraging discussion between different user groups and the development of new hybrid techniques.
Optica Quantum 2.0 Conference and Exhibition
Topic Categories
Specific topics of interest include:
- Optical Manipulation in Biophysics and Biomedicine
- Single molecule biophysics
- Cellular mechanics and mechanotransduction
- Cellular adhesion
- Laser cellular surgery and photoporation
- Light activated drugs and probes
- Cell stretching
- Optogenetics
- Optical biomodulation
- Optical Manipulation Fundamentals
- Holographic optical tweezers and beam shaping, adaptive optics techniques
- Particle dynamics
- Opto-mechanical cooling
- Microrheology
- High force optical tweezers
- Photophoresis
- Optical trap modelling and theoretical underpinnings
- Nanoparticle manipulation
- Plasmonic manipulation
- Integrated and near-field optical trapping
- Optical Manipulation Applications
- Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics
- Nanoscale & quantum sensing
- Environmental sensing and aerosol analysis
- Optofluidics/microfluidics
- Integration with spectroscopic techniques
- Photo activated molecules and materials
- Alternative Manipulation Techniques
- Magnetic tweezers
- Electrical manipulation: electrodynamic balance, dielectrophoresis, etc.
- Acoustic manipulation and trapping
- Microfluidic manipulation
- Optoelectronic tweezers
- Optothermal tweezers
- Optical fiber tweezers
- AFM applied to techniques studied by optical manipulation
Committee Members
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- Agnese Callegari, Goteborgs Universitet, Sweden, General Chair
- Domna Kotsifaki, Duke Kunshan University, China, General Chair
- Nicolas Pegard, Univ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, General Chair
- Philip Jones, University College London, United Kingdom, Program Chair
- Giuseppe Strangi , Case Western Reserve University, United States, Program Chair
- Wylie Ahmed, CNRS-UPS, France
- Alejandro Arzola, UNAM, Mexico
- Silvie Bernatova, Institute of Scientific Instruments ASCR, Czech Republic
- Guido Bolognesi, University College London, United Kingdom
- Antonio Ciarlo, Univ degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
- Frank Cichos, Univ Leipzig, Germany
- Simon Hanna, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
- Brooke Hester, Appalachian State University
- Maria Iati, CNR IPCF, Italy
- Carlos Lopez-Mariscal, Underwater Photonics, Mexico
- David McGloin, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Steven Neale, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Antonio Neves, Universidade Federal do ABC, Brazil
- Jack Ng, Southern Univ of Science & Technology, China
- Sile Nic Chormaic, Okinawa Inst of Science & Technology, Japan
- Lynn Paterson, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom
- Giuseppe Pesce, Univ degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy
- Ruben Ramos-Garcia, Inst Nat Astrofisica Optica Electronica, Mexico
- Peter Reece, University of New South Wales, Australia
- Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, University of Queensland, Australia
- Gregor Thalhammer, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
- Giorgio Volpe, University College London, United Kingdom
- Giovanni Volpe, Goteborgs Universitet, Sweden
- Pavel Zemanek, Institute of Scientific Instruments ASCR, Czech Republic
- Chenglong Zhao, The MITRE Corporation, United States
Chairs
Agnese Callegari
Goteborgs Universitet, Sweden,
General Chair
Domna Kotsifaki
Duke Kunshan University, China,
General Chair
Nicolas Pegard
Univ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
General Chair
Philip Jones
University College London, United Kingdom,
Program Chair
Giuseppe Strangi
Case Western Reserve University, United States,
Program Chair
Invited Speakers
- Anna Bezryadina, California State University Northridge, United States
Biophotonics Optical Tweezers Imaging Solitons Solar Cells - Theodoros Bouloumis, Okinawa Inst of Science & Technology, Japan
Trapping Biocompatible Nanographene-Based Quantum Emitters In a Landscape of Optical and Thermal Forces - Marco Capitanio, Universita degli Studi di Firenze, Italy
Single Molecule Biophysics Molecular Motors Mechanobiology - Kenneth Crozier, University of Melbourne, Australia
Inverse Design of Plasmonic Nanotweezers - Maria Grazia Donato, CNR IPCF, Italy
Optical and Acoustic Trapping - Antonino Foti, CNR IPCF, Italy
Raman Optical Tweezers, Microplastics, etc. - Abhay Kotnala, University of Houston, United States
Multimodal Optofluidic Tweezers for High-Throughput Stimulated Raman Imaging of Single Cells - Xiaoguang Ma, Southern Univ of Science & Technology, China
Soft Condense Matter - Nasim Mohammadi Estakhri, Chapman University, United States
Theoretical Work on OM - Aldona Mzyk, DTU Electro, Denmark
Optical Tweezers - Fan Nan, Univ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
Topological Optical Tweezers - Robertson-Anderson Rae, University of San Diego, United States
Nonlinear Optical Tweezers Microrheology and Probe Free Microscopy of Active Matter - Ruben Ramos-Garcia, Inst Nat Astrofisica Optica Electronica, Mexico
Optical Trapping and Non linear optics - Erick Sarmiento-Gomez, Inst Nat Astrofisica Optica Electronica, Mexico
Soft Matter - Jiawei Sun, Chinese Academy of Sciences, SIBET,
Optical Trapping, Deep Learning Wavefront Shaping - Gan Wang, Goteborgs Universitet, Sweden
Metamaterials and Optical Forces - Joanna Zielinska, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Optomechanics and Angular Momentum of Light - Jeremie ZOUEU, Institut National Polytechnique,
RBC Mechanical Properties
Plenary Speakers
Peter Maurer
The University of Chicago, USA
Fluorescent-proteins: New generation of sensing qubits?
Optica Distinguished Lecture Series on Quantum Science and Technology
We demonstrate an optically addressable protein-based spin qubit encoded in the metastable triplet state of fluorescent protein. Our protein-qubit has coherence times rivaling NV centers in nanodiamonds but are roughly 10-times smaller and genetically encodable.
About the Speaker
Peter Maurer is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on advancing quantum sensing techniques to probe the physical properties of biological processes with nanoscale resolution. Prior to joining the University of Chicago Peter completed his PhD training with Mikhail Lukin at Harvard and Steven Chu at Stanford.
Sophie Hernot
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
Enhancing Fluorescence Guided Surgery with Nanobodies and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
This presentation explores enhancing fluorescence-guided surgery with Nanobodies — targeted agents offering rapid pharmacokinetics and tumor specificity — and demonstrates how fluorescence lifetime imaging adds biological insights and reduces non-specific signals compared to conventional fluorescence methods.
About the Speaker
Sophie Hernot, a bioengineer with a PhD in Medical Sciences, is a leading professor in the Molecular Imaging and Therapy research group at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. Her research centers on developing, preclinically validating and clinically translating fluorescent and radiolabeled Nanobody-based tracers for image-guided applications. As the academic director of the In vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core Facility, she also promotes the adoption of innovative imaging techniques across diverse research fields, enhancing in vivo understanding of biological processes.
Jerome Mertz
Boston University, United States
Pushing the Limits of Microscopy
No matter how good microscopes have become, there will always be a need for them to be better. I will describe various strategies to push the limits of microscopes for life science applications.
About the Speaker
Jerome Mertz received an AB in physics from Princeton University and a PhD in quantum optics from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Paris VI. Following postdoctoral studies at the University of Konstanz and at Cornell University, he became a CNRS research director at the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielle in Paris. He is currently a professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. His interests are in the development and applications of novel optical microscopy techniques for biological imaging. He is also author of a textbook titled Introduction to Optical Microscopy, 2nd Ed.
Elizabeth Hillman
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, USA
Maximizing the Impact of Biomedical Imaging and Microscopy
Optical methods are uniquely suited to mapping molecular and functional information across scales. From diffuse-imaging to super-resolution microscopy, how can we ensure that our work will lead to scientific breakthroughs and improvements in patient care?
About the Speaker
Dr. Elizabeth M.C. Hillman’s laboratory develops diverse optical imaging and microscopy techniques and applies them to studying the structure and function of the brain and other living tissues. She completed undergraduate and PhD training in Physics and Medical Physics at University College London. After post-doctoral work at Massachusetts General Hospital, she joined the faculty at Columbia University in 2006, where she is the Herbert and Florence Irving Professor in the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, and the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology.
Special Events
Easter Egg Hunt
Sunday, 20 April 12:30 - 13:30
Join us for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt! Open to kids and conference attendees alike, this festive event promises surprises, sweet treats and springtime cheer for all ages.
Women in Optics Reception
Sunday, 20 April 17:00 - 18:00
This informal networking event brings together women in biophotonics — to meet other women in the field and discuss challenges and opportunities. All are welcome, regardless of gender. Please join Chairs Caroline Boudoux, Daniel Elson and members of the Optica Biophotonics Congress committee. Share your ideas to help ensure our community and this meeting is as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
Lunch & Learn: Mastering Productivity, Time Management & Transferable Skills for PhDs
Monday, 21 April 12:00 - 13:00
PhD students often develop valuable skills that go unrecognized when transitioning to industry. This session will provide practical strategies to maximize productivity, manage time effectively and identify transferable skills that set PhDs apart in the job market. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming academic challenges, applying their expertise beyond academia and leveraging essential tools to thrive in their careers.
Speaker:
Caroline Boudoux
Agenda:
- 12:00 PM – Introduction (5 min): Why mastering Chapter 5 is key to PhD success and career transitions.
- 12:05 PM – Productivity & Time Management (10 min): Eisenhower Matrix, 80/20 Rule, avoiding procrastination, work-life balance and efficient writing.
- 12:15 PM – Transferable Skills (15 min): Problem-solving, project management, data analysis, communication, adaptability and teamwork—how they apply in industry
- 12:30 PM – Productivity Tools (10 min): Notion, Trello, Pomodoro, research documentation and accountability partners.
- 12:40 PM – Q&A & Closing (10 min): Open discussion and career planning resources.
Who Should Attend?
PhD students, postdocs, and researchers looking to improve time management, boost efficiency and confidently transition into industry roles.
Takeaway
Walk away with actionable strategies to enhance productivity, reduce stress and leverage your PhD skills for career success.
Exploring Emerging Topics in Biophotonics: The Role of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Monday, 21 April 18:45 - 20:30
In the recent decade, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) have played an increasingly transformative role in biophotonics by enhancing data analysis, interpretation, and optimization of complex imaging and sensing. This event, hosted by Optica Technical Groups, will bring together a diverse group of panelists for an open discussion on the emerging role of ML and AI in advancing technologies across the biomedical field. As an attendee, you will gain insights into ways we can utilize ML and AI in the biomedical field, including recent advances, novel applications, good practices, limitations and opportunities. Following the panel discussion, you will have an opportunity to network with your colleagues.
Panelists:
- Muyinatu Bell, Johns Hopkins University
- Javier Jo, University of Oklahoma
- Shalin Mehta, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network
- Kyle Quinn, University of Arkansas
Sunrise Yoga
Tuesday, 22 April 06:00 - 07:30
Begin your day with a revitalizing sunrise yoga session, suitable for all levels. Enjoy light refreshments afterward as you embrace the tranquility of the morning.
Tickets can be purchased when registering for the meeting for USD 50.00.
Express Networking Lunch: 10X Your Connections in Biophotonics
Tuesday, 22 April 12:15 - 13:15
You are invited to join the Optica Technical Groups for this exciting networking session that will help you create new connections in a structured, time-efficient manner. The event starts with a 30-minute speed networking exercise, where you'll engage in 5-minute, rapid fire conversations with a diverse array of attendees. The second part of the program features lightning pitches from select participants. These one or two-minute presentations will showcase unexpected connections that have significantly impacted their careers, inspiring you to think creatively about leveraging your own network.
Congress Reception
Tuesday, 22 April 17:30 - 19:00
Join fellow attendees for the congress reception.
