The scientific program of ICOB2026 will explore the most pressing challenges and transformative opportunities in biophotonics for medicine and healthcare. A series of focused sessions—led by internationally renowned experts—will address unmet needs in diagnostics, the application of biophotonics in oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases, as well as advances in AI integration and in vivo diagnostics. In addition, a forward-looking session will reflect on future directions for medical diagnostics and the evolving role of biophotonics in personalized and preventive healthcare.
The sessions are curated by the members of the ICOB2026 Scientific Program Committee, who are also serving as session chairs. Together, they represent a broad spectrum of expertise across disciplines and continents.
We welcome all participants on the first evening. Meet old and new colleagues over snacks and drinks. You will receive your congress materials at the registration counter.
Welcome Notes by
Igor Lednev
Director of CeBAI, University at Albany, SUNY, United States
and
Jürgen Popp
Co-Director of CeBAI, Scientific Director at Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena/DE
Keynote Lecture
Chemical Bond Imaging: Decoding the Chemistry Using Molecular Fingerprints
Ji-Xin Cheng, Boston University, MA, USA
Chair: Orlando Guntinas-Lichius, Jena, Germany
11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Point of Care Assessment using Multi-Modal Spectroscopy (POCAMUM) – Potential in Cardiovascular Disease
Jaishankar Raman, University of Melbourne, Australia
11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Intraoperative surgical decision making based on real-time biophotonics
Orlando Guntinas-Lichius, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Illuminating the Gaps: Biophotonics for real-time, non-invasive solutions in reconstructive surgery
Prabhu Senthil-Kumar, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
Chair: Juergen Popp, Jena Germany
1.15 p.m – 1.35 p.m.
Chemical histopathology with practical infrared spectroscopic imaging instrumentation and algorithms
Kevin Yeh, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
1.35 p.m – 1.55 p.m.
Translating Optical Imaging for Guiding Endocrine Neck Surgery
Anita Mahadevan-Janssen, Vanderbilt University, TN, USA
1.55 p.m – 2.15 p.m.
AI-Enabled Fibre-Based Raman Spectroscopy and Multimodal Nonlinear Imaging for Intraoperative Tumor Margin Assessment and See-and-Treat Workflows
Juergen Popp, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
Chair: Igor Lednev, Albany, United States
3.00 p.m – 3.20 p.m.
t.b.a.
Elizabeth Smith-Boivin, Alzheimer’s Association, Cohoes, NY, USA
3.20 p.m – 3.40 p.m.
Neuromuscular Diseases Caused by Repeat Expansions and Opportunity for Non-Invasive Biomarkers
Andrew Berglund, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, USA
3:40 p.m – 4.00 p.m.
Quantitative Lysosomal Profiling of Cellular Senescence Using LysoTracker Fluorescence Imaging and Automated Single-Cell Analysis
Javier Estrada Toro, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, USA
4:00 p.m – 4.15 p.m.
Raman Spectroscopy Coupled with Machine Learning as a Universal Tool for Disease Diagnostics
Igor Lednev, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, USA
Chair: Anja Silge, Jena, Germany
4.15 p.m – 4.25 p.m.
Toward an Optical Digital Twin: AI-Enabled Raman Spectroscopy for Longitudinal Immune Profiling and Translational Diagnostics
Juergen Popp, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
4.25 p.m – 4.35 p.m.
Combating Anti-Microbial Resistance by AI-Powered FILM
Ji-Xin Cheng, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
4:35 p.m – 4.45 p.m.
Personalized Digital Twins for Interventional Healthcare
Laura Marcu, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
4:45 p.m – 4.55 p.m.
Bridging Spectroscopic Data‑Driven Modeling to Clinical Applications
Oleg Ryabchykov, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany
Poster Session
Chair: Prabha Balakrishnan Prabhakaran, Albany, United States
9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.
t.b.a.
Christopher Yang, U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
9:20 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.
AI Applications in Medical Diagnostics: A Neurologist’s Perspective
Marianna Spanaki Varelas, Albany Medical Center, NY, USA
9:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Unlocking the Power of Pixels with AI
Pingkun Yan, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY, USA
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
AI Applications in Medical Diagnostics
Neil Gildener-Leapman Albany Medical Center, NY, USA
Chairs: Praveen Arany, Buffalo, United States and Young Mee Jung, Kangwon National University, South Korea
10:45 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.
Microfluidic Immunoassay Using Encoded Microparticles for Low-Volume Multiplex Detection of Cancer-Associated Proteins
Dong-Ku Kang, Incheon National University, Korea
11:05 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.
Multiplexed SERS Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles for Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
Young Mee Jung, Kangwon National University, South Korea
11:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
From Vibrational Spectroscopy to Whole-Body Imaging: Multimodal Strategies for Cancer Imaging and Monitoring
Fay Nicolson, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
11:45 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.
Endogenous Optogenetic Approach to Activate TGF-beta for Anti-Tumor Responses
Praveen Arany, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, USA
12:05 p.m. – 12:25 p.m.
Real-Time 3D Label-Free Interferometric Imaging Flow Cytometry
Natan Shaked, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Chair: Juergen Popp, Jena, Germany
1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Label-Free Optical Metabolic Imaging of Neutrophils in Infection
Rupsa Datta, Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, USA
1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Trends and opportunities in Raman based infection diagnostics
Anja Silge, Leibniz IPHT, Jena, Germany
2:10 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
t.b.a
Michael Waxman, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
Chair: Nathaniel Cady, Albany, United States
3:15 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.
A Disposable Photonics Approach to Multiplex Diagnostics
Benjamin Miller, University of Rochester, NY, USA
3:35 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
Deploying Point of Care Technologies in Limited Resource Settings: Lessons from Cancer, Infection, and Nutrition
David Erickson, Cornell University, NY, USA
3:55 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Wafers to Chips; 300mm CMOS Foundry Compatible Silicon Photonics
Christopher Baiocco, AIM Photonics, Albany, NY, USA
Join us for the Conference Dinner — an evening of great food, lively conversation, and relaxed networking with fellow participants. All registered attendees are warmly invited. Further details will be published on the conference website shortly. We look forward to celebrating together!
Keynote Lecture by
Kirill Larin
University of Houston, TX, USA
Chair: Jaishankar Raman, Melbourne, Australia
9:45 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.
t.b.a.
Kevin Yeh, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
10:05 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.
Multi-Modal Spectroscopic Evaluation of Banked Frozen Cardiac Tissue
Jaishankar Raman, University of Melbourne, Australia
10:25 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Multimodal Vibrational Spectroscopy Evaluating Atrial Tissue
James Grant, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Potential Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy in Plastic Surgery and Burns Treatment
Prabhu Senthil-Kumar, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
Moderator: Gabriele Hamm, Jena, Germany

Director of CeBAI
University at Albany, SUNY, United States

Director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Germany
Co-Director of CeBAI

Director of the Institute for Molecular Science and Fusion Technology at the Kangwon National University, South Korea

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States

Jena University Hospital, Germany

Director of AI Plus
University at Albany, SUNY, United States

Vice President for Research & Economic Development
University at Albany, SUNY, United States

University of Melbourne, Australia

University at Albany, SUNY, United States
18 – 21 March 2026
University at Albany, SUNY, United States