The project has setup an international network of cooperation in advanced microscopy and bio-imaging with partners in India, Germany, USA and Norway. The focus is on education and innovation, with partners of academic and research excellence. The project has created a unique network that brings international excellence environments in academia, innovation, and research to the local and national scene. Moreover, it is in the process of creating work force on advance microscopy and optical nanoscopy to keep global leadership enhance bioimaging growth in Norway.
The project saw pre-and post-Covid period. Our activities during 2020-2021 were very limited but we had over virtual mobilities during that period and several key learning was obtained from the virtual mobilities. Since 2022, our physical mobilities replaced virtual mobilities and also we conducted 5 winter workshops/summer schools with accumulative over 300 in-person attendees in these events.
2021: Microscopy, Bioimaging and Artificial Intelligence, 21-22 December 2021, India (IIT Delhi)
2022: Convergence of microscopy, spectroscopy, nanotechnology and AI for bio-imaging, 12-13 September 2022, UiT, Tromsø, Norway.
2023: Phase for Life: Quantitative Phase Microscopy for Life Sciences, Hybrid Mini-Conference, 12-13 august 2023, USA, Harvard University/MIT.
2023: “Optics4Life-I: Photonics tools for life sciences, 19-21 December 2023, IIT Delhi, India,
2024: Optics4Life-II: Convergence of microscopy, nanotechnology and AI for life sciences 08-09 October 2024 UiT, Tromsø, Norway,
Mobilities: The project has facilitated over 50+ staff and student mobilities, including 22 long-term student mobilities (1 month+) and 2 sabbatical stays and many short term academic and administrative staff mobilities.
Publications and dissemination: So far in this project we had 21 journal articles, and 22 dissemination and outreach activities. Over 30+ mobilities of staff and students have happened between the partners which include 11 long-term student mobilities.
Future: The project has also set a base for a large successful EU application which was jointly funded by India (DBT) and EU focused on "Pandemic Preparedness, (8M€). In addition, a series of joint activities between the partners have either been applied or envisioned in near future.
Outcome: Training of students and researchers from partners and collaborators, two courses on niche topics, development of mature and expertise work force on nanoscopy, fostering of national and international collaborations, furthering of innovation, longevity and robustness of the international research and education network in nanoscopy, and penetration of nanoscopy technology in biology labs across Norway. This all builds up towards integrative approach of progress in science through symbiotic education, research, and innovation.
Impact: Career development of students, internationally unique and vibrant training and research environment, bridging the anticipated gap in the supply of science, technology, engineering and medical (STEM) skills in Europe at large and in Norway, rapid adoption of nanoscopy in all disciplines in the natural sciences in the next 5-10 years, and positive impact on UN's sustainable development goals 3, 4, 9, 17. Dissemination of UiT Inventions to key users.
Measurable impact: The project has also set a base for a large successful EU application which was jointly funded by India (DBT) and EU focused on "Pandemic Preparedness, (8M€). In addition, a series of joint activities between the partners have either been applied or envisioned in near future. The outcome of this project has been published into 21 peer-reviewed scientific journals and a several more research articles have been envisioned.
UiT has become a central node of development of new advanced nanoscopy technologies and their bioapplications, thanks to several prestigious EU and RCN projects. It has also established pivotal collaborations with leading research and academic institutes on various aspects of new technology developments – IIT (leader in optics/photnics), EMBL (education, training and bioapplications on modern microscopy), Harvard and MIT (excellence in optics, buzzing technopreneurship ecosystem).
With the cutting edge research, a critical need to timely train a new breed of scientists for development, application, and exploitation of these techniques has arose. In order to deliver the impact of these technological developments, a global arena with the above mentioned international partners and several national collaborators is being created for training the new scientists, preparing them for further research excellence, innovation, and penetration of these research activities.
We will create a virtual center of education and research in nanoscopy to facilitate co-supervision of master/PhD students across the globe, provide them the exposure to leading education, research, and innovation ecosystem, and allowing them to better grow their competency. We will also organize summer schools and workshops across 4 geographic locations, Tromso, Delhi, Heidelberg, and Boston on niche topics that allow transition from vocation to expertise. Students will have a chance to undergo cross-disciplinary training through prolonged hands-on experience in developing bio-applications with national and international collaborators. We will co-develop new courses on Label-free microscopy and Innovation in photonics and nanoscopy, for ensuring that students taking these courses can propel to penetration of nanoscopy in Norway. We will also jointly pursue the cause of innovation by developing business models of exisiting joint IPs and facilitate creation of new joint IPs.
