NEWS! UPDATED DATES: 22-26 June 2026
The eighth edition of our ISLIST Summer School (VIII-ISLIST), focused on "Light in Energy, the Environment, and Laser Manufacturing," was a resounding success, taking place from June 16 to 20, 2025. You can read the final report here.
This school is conceived as a premier international forum (held every third or fourth week of June) on light science and technology, within the framework of a renowned university of excellence, known as the "university of universities," and in the privileged setting of the Royal Palace of La Magdalena in Santander, Cantabria, Spain. Each edition of this international school focuses on a different core theme or specific application area, addressing cutting-edge topics and, where appropriate, other complementary current hot issues. Light in Health and Medicine will be the core theme of the IX-ISLIST edition, to be held from June 22 to 26, 2026.
ISLiST has been conceived as a great opportunity to review, actualize and improve the knowledge of scientists, professionals and technicians; to contribute to the education and to enhance the motivation of PhD students; to offer an ideal frame for networking and also to contribute to the education of the citizens. It is also a great opportunity to ensure that policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other key “actors” will be aware of the problem-solving potential of Photonics
Invited Speakers for the 2026 edition
| Photo | INVITED | AFFILIATION | TITLE |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Prof. David Boas Director |
Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, College of Engineering, Boston, USA. | Mapping human cerebral blood flow using light. |
 |
Prof. Kirill V. Larin Director |
Biomedical Optics Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, USA. | Optical Coherence Tomography/Elastography and Brillouin Spectroscopy for Tissue Biomechanics. |
 |
Prof. Sumeet Mahajan Head |
Molecular BioPhotonics & Imaging group, Institute of Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK. | Raman Spectroscopy in Neurodegenerative Disease Research and Diagnosis. |
 |
Prof. Angelos Karlas Clinical Research Lead |
MTU, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. | Optoacoustics—Echoes of Light in Vasometabolic Health and Disease: Challenges and Opportunities. |
 |
Prof. Laura Lechuga Head |
Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group, Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC, CIBER-BBN and BIST, Barcelona, Spain. | Nanophotonic biosensors: Current and Trends. |
 |
Prof. Mikael Käll Head |
Bionanophotonics group, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothemburg, Sweden. | Optical Nanoantennas and Metasurfaces for the Life Sciences: principles, opportunities, trends, and challenges. |
 |
Prof. YongKeun Park Director |
Virtual 3D Biology Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, KAIST, Republic of Korea. | Holotomography for 3D Biology and Regenerative Medicine: From Fundamental Optics to Real-World Clinical Impact. |
 |
Prof. Aydogan Ozcan Director |
Bio&Nano-Photonics Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. | Virtual Staining of Label-free Tissue Using Deep Learning. |
 |
Prof. Kishan Dolakia Director |
Centre of Light for Life, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. | Optical Trapping and manipulation for the biomedical sciences: current and future trends. |
 |
Prof. José Miguel López-Higuera Founder and Director of ISLIST |
Former founder and Head of Photonic Engineering Group of UC, CIBER-BBN and IDIVAL, Santander, Spain. | Light Technologies for early detection, therapies and executive functions monitoring in Alzheimer´s Disease Patients. |
 |
Prof. Mariana G. Figueiro Director |
Light and Health Research Center, Mount Sinai NY, New York, USA. | A Case for Dual Entrainment: Rhythmic Light Therapy to Entrain Gamma Oscillations and the Circadian System in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease. |
 |
Prof. Gang Zheng Associate Research Director |
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. | Photodynamic and photothermal therapies: synergy opportunities for nanomedicine. |
 |
Prof. Andrea Cusano Head |
Optoelectronic and Photonic Group, Università degli Studi del Sannio, Benevento, Italy. | Lab-on-Fiber advanced devices for Point of Care medical applications. |
 |
Prof. Susana Marcos Director |
David R. Williams Center for Visual Science, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, NY, USA. | Latest advances on Light-based technologies to improve vision. |
 |
Prof. Pablo Artal Director |
Optical Laboratory, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain. | Human vision with infrared radiation mediated by two-photon absorption. |
 |
Prof. Robert Thomson Head |
Photonic Instrumentation Group, Co-founder of Optoscribe, Heriot-Watt University, UK | Ultrafast laser fabrication of optical components for biomedical applications. |
 |
Prof. Carlos Molpeceres Director |
Laser Institute, UPM, Madrid, Spain. | Advanced Laser-Based Processes for Personalized Medicine: From Bio-printing to High-Precision Diagnostics. |
