• Question: do you like researching about biophotonics ?so far what is the most interesting thing you've learned about them ?

    Asked by Emily to Andrea on 4 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Andrea Pacheco

      Andrea Pacheco answered on 4 Mar 2019:

      Yes I love doing research in biophotonics, the most interesting I have learned so far is that we can use light (which is not harmful as X-ray or gamma radiation) to see and measure inside the body.

      For example, did you know that human tissue is transparent to specific light? Turn the torch of your phone on and cover it with the fingers of your hand, what colours do you see on the other side?

      Biophotonics will improve the healthcare of patients with cancer and many other diseases. 🙂

Comments

  • Photo: Emily

    Emily commented on :

    Is it confusing to use light to measure inside the body ?

    • Photo: Andrea

      Andrea commented on :

      At the beginning new concepts are difficult to understand, but once you get used to them you realise light is a very powerful tool that can make our life better in many different ways, in technology (for example to make internet faster), energy (to use sunlight to produce power, cook, heat up water) and health, among others.

  • Photo: Emily

    Emily commented on :

    What is light the most powerful for

    • Photo: Andrea

      Andrea commented on :

      Well, it depends on the area you are interested in explore. Right now light is very important in the development of new technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. And in telecommunications to transport a lot of data in less time like 5G.

  • Photo: Emily

    Emily commented on :

    Could anyone use light from the Sun to improve on their every day lives ? Or would it only be doctors ?what is the specific light human tissues are transparent to?can light be used in medicine to make it stronger and easier for pharmacist to make

    • Photo: Andrea

      Andrea commented on :

      Yes we can use the light from the sun which is free, right now many houses in my country are getting electricity and water heaters from the sun.
      Not just doctors, if you have a cellphone in your hands you are using light 🙂
      Humans are kind of transparent to near infra-red light, I say “kind of” because this light penetrates few centimetres inside the body before it gets absorbed or scattered.

      What kind of pharmacist do you have in mind?