Full Program
Saturday, May 16th, 2026
Location: Featheringill Hall Building
12 pm: REGISTRATION OPENS
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm: Workshop 1
Option 1: Industry: Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp: New Frontiers: Multimodal Simultaneous Submicron IR, Raman and Fluorescence Imaging.
Option 2: Professional Development: “Leading with Passion”
Option 3: Lab Tour: Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center
2:30 pm - 2:45 pm: Coffee Break
2:45 pm - 4:30 pm: Workshop 2
Option 1: Industry Event: Raman spectroscopy of Wine and Whiskey: A comparison of systems and wavelengths
Option 2: Professional Development: “Communicating Effectively Across Boundaries”
Option 3: Lab Tour: Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Conference Plenary
Kishan Dholakia
Director of the Center of Light for Life,
Adelaide University
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Through the Glass: Unlocking Raman and Fluorescence Signals in Sealed BottlesThis talk will describe the application of wavefront shaping and modulation to allow us to extract Raman and fluorescence signals through sealed bottles. This may be used for safety and provenance studies. The application areas include wine, spirits, olive oil and biophotonics.
Kishan Dholakia
Professor University of Adelaide
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm
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Nick Stone
Gerwin Puppels
Juergen Schmitt
Anita Mahadevan-Jansen
6:30 pm
Sunday, May 17th, 2026
Location: Student Life Center
Conference Keynote
Gerwin Puppels
RiverD International B.V.
8:30 am - 9:00 am
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Raman & the clinic, looking back …. but mostly ahead
The foundation of the SPEC conference was laid in Potsdam, Germany in 1996. A small group of spectroscopists and clinicians met, convincing each other of a bright future in which many clinical problems and needs could be addressed by FTIR or Raman spectroscopy.
That future is as bright as ever, if we’re serious about it and not so much in love with our technology that we lose sight of all else that is needed, if we collaborate and are willing to learn from mistakes (preferably other people’s mistakes) and experiences.
I’ll share a few RiverD-experiences and mistakes to get you on your way.
Gerwin Puppels
RiverD International B.V.
Sunday’s Session Moderators
Jay Werkhaven, MD
Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Zhiwei Huang
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Carmen Solórzano, MD
Professor of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Kishan Dholakia
Director of the Center of Light for Life, Adelaide University
9:00 am - 11:00 am
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Jay Werkhaven, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Session Keynote
9:10 am - 9:40 am
A Rapid Raman Spectroscopy Platform for In Vivo Clinical Diagnosis
Haishan Zeng; University of British Columbia
Invited Talk
9:40 - 10:00 am
In vivo Raman Spectroscopy Detects Cervical Biochemical Changes with Establishment of Pregnancy
Christine O’Brien; Washington University in St. Louis
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Validation of the Potential of Raman Spectroscopy for the Detection of Physiological and Metabolic Changes
Itziar Campo Juarros; Optec4Life S.L.; University of the Basque Country
10:15 am - 10:30 am
Beyond cancer diagnostics: Raman in vivo studies for cancers and neuromusclar disorders
Nick Stone; University of Exeter
10:30 - 10:45 am
High wavenumber Raman spectroscopy for in vivo assessment of water and protein dynamics during cervical remodeling in term pregnant mice
Rafay Ahmed; Vanderbilt University
10:45 - 11:00 am
In vivo characterization of autoimmune-related calcinosis cutis using Raman spectroscopy
Isaac Pence; UT Southwestern Medical Center
11:00 am - 11:20 am: Coffee Break
11:20 am - 12:45 pm
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Moderator: Girish Hiremath; Vanderbilt University Medical Center
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Scanning non-contact fiber-optic Raman probe for biochemical mapping of luminal organs.
Ezekiel Haugen; Renishaw Inc.
12:00 - 12:15 pm
Hollow fiber Raman probe system for intraoperative diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease
Yusuke Oshima; University of Toyama
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm
Noninvasive Analysis of Submucosal and Subcutaneous Tissues for Diagnosis and Presymptomatic Analysis
Hidetoshi Sato; Kwansei Gakuin University
12:30 pm - 12:45 pm
Bridging benchtop confocal Raman microscopy and fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy
Ezekiel Haugen; Renishaw Inc.
12:45 pm - 1:30 pm
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Moderator: Anita Mahadevan-Jansen
Stanford Medicine: Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Stephan Rogalla, MD PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Emad Elsamadicy, MD MS
Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Department of Otolaryngology
Jay Werkhaven, MD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Department of Neurological Surgery
Kunal Raygor, MD
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Lunch Break
2:30 pm - 4:10 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Carmen Solorzano, MD; Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Session Keynote
2:40 Pm - 3:10 pm
Raman spectroscopy techniques for intra-operative diagnosis in cancer surgery
Ioan Notingher; University of Nottingham
3:10 - 3:25 pm
Using in vivo Raman Spectroscopy to measure biochemical changes in vaginal tissue and polypropylene mesh degradation after pelvic reconstructive surgery
Folaoluwashewa Shofu; Washington University in St. Louis
3:25 pm - 3:40 pm
Profiling Eosinophilic Esophagitis Treatment Response with Raman Spectroscopy
Meagan McKee; Vanderbilt University
3:40 pm - 3:55 pm
High-throughput live cell FTIR to accelerate drug discovery
Nikunj Patel; King’s College London
3:55 pm - 4:10 pm
Serum SERS Monitoring of Radiation Treatment Response in a Prostate Cancer Patient
Ramie Ali-Adeeb; University of Victoria
4:10 pm - 4:30 pm: Coffee Break
4:30 pm - 6:05 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Kishan Dholakia; University of Adelaide
Session Keynote
4:40 pm - 5:05 pm
From Photons to Phenotypes: Multimodal Optical Sensing Meets Machine Learning
Ishan Barman
Invited Talk
5:05 pm - 5:20 pm
Multimodal Multi-Scale Imaging of Metabolic Dynamics at Subcellular Resolution
Lingyan Shi; Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at UCSD
5:20 pm - 5:35 pm
Plasmonic-Enhanced rSEIRA-FTIR Molecular Fingerprinting of Serum for Stage-Independent Cancer Detection
Ali Khammanivong; Oncodea Corporation
5:35 pm - 5:50 pm
ATR-FTIR serum spectral fingerprinting coupled with machine learning for colorectal cancer detection
Andrea Zifarelli; Università degli Studi di Bari - Italy
5:50 pm - 6:05 pm
In-Vivo Blood Alcohol Monitoring via MEMS NIR and MIR Spectroscopy
Chad Lieber; Si-Ware Systems
6:05 pm - 6:30 pm
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Serum FTIR spectroscopy captures rheumatoid arthritis state and serological phenotype independently of classical inflammatory markers
Paulina Maria Żarnowiec
Poster 6
Comparing conventional and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy techniques for bacterial detection in the vaginal microbiome
Viannely Francisco
Poster 10
Diagnostic Performance of Raman Spectroscopy for Serum-based Detection of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Minna Mannerkorpi
Poster 11
Exploratory data analysis for biomarker detection on Raman cancer cytopathology
Chihiro Matsumoto
Poster 13
6:30- 7:30 pm
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Spectra-BREAST: Combining Hyperspectral Imaging and Raman Spectroscopy with AI for the Intraoperative Assessment of Breast Tumor Resection Margins
Carlo Morasso
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri
Poster 1
Detection and Discrimination of Diabetic, Hypertensive, and Post-Infarction Rats Based on Serum FTIR Profiles Integrated with Machine Learning Algorithms
Valerio Barauna
Federal University of Espirito Santo
Poster 2
Monitoring cervical biochemical variations in vivo across the estrous cycle in mice with hormonal profiling as reference using Raman spectroscopy
Joseph Afreh
Vanderbilt University
Poster 3
Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of Saliva for Noninvasive Screening of Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Madison Walker
Vanderbilt University
Poster 4
Development of a paper-based substrate for bacteria sensing with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Luke Whitehead
Vanderbilt University
Poster 5
Serum FTIR spectroscopy captures rheumatoid arthritis state and serological phenotype independently of classical inflammatory markers
Paulina Maria Żarnowiec
Jan Kochanowski University
Poster 6
Mapping the Biochemical Landscape of Human Cortical iPSC Brain Organoid Maturation Using Label-Free Raman Imaging
Victor Alcolea-Rodriguez
Politecnico di Milano
Poster 7
Using Raman spectroscopy to measure dermal layer hydration changes across varying epidermal hydration and skin stone in layered tissue phantoms
Trevor Voss
Vanderbilt University
Poster 8
Optical Evaluation of the Impact of Filtration on Diagnostic Salivary Components
Somali Dhal
Tyndall National Institute
Poster 9
Comparing conventional and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy techniques for bacterial detection in the vaginal microbiome
Viannely Francisco
Vanderbilt University
Poster 10
Diagnostic Performance of Raman Spectroscopy for Serum-based Detection of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Minna Mannerkorpi
University of Oulu
Poster 11
Measuring Differences in the Compositional Properties of Human Cortical Bone by Raman Spectroscopy
Sasidhar Uppuganti
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Poster 12
Exploratory data analysis for biomarker detection on Raman cancer cytopathology
Chihiro Matsumoto
University of Toyama
Poster 13
Sensitivity of Optical of Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy to Compositional Differences in Human Cortical Bone
Spencer William Hall
Vanderbilt University
Poster 14
Bone Fracture Risk Assessment through Artificial Intelligence and Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry
Giusy Peluso
University of Salento
Poster 15
Smaller Plastics, Bigger Risks: How Sub-micron IR (O-PTIR) Reveals the Invisible Threat of Nanoplastics and Microplastics
Mustafa Kansiz
Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp
Poster 16
Monday, May 18th, 2026
Location: Student Life Center
Monday’s Session Moderators
Andrew Berger
University of Rochester, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Hide Sato
Kwansei Gakuin University, Department of Biomedical Sciences
Yeran Bai
University of Arizona, Wyant College of Optical Sciences
Andreana Holowatyj
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Cancer Biology
8:30 - 8:50 am
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Raman Arthroscopy for Osteoarthritis Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring
Michael Albro
Boston University
8:50 - 10:35 am
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Andrew Berger; University of Rochester
Session Keynote
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Spectroscopy for Biofluid Diagnostics: Progress and Challenges in Clinical Translation
Holly Butler; Dxcover
9:30 am - 9:50 am
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for vaginal microbial assessment
Andrea Locke; Vanderbilt University
9:50 am- 10:05 am
Clinical Validation of a Noninvasive Urine-Based Spectroscopic Screening Test for Endometriosis
Valerio Garrone Barauna; Federal University of Espirito Santo
10:05 am- 10:20 am
Biochemical Profiling of Lipoproteins by Raman Spectroscopy: From Health to Disease
Arianna Bonizzi; ICS Maugeri, Pavia (Italy)
10:20 am - 10: 35 am
Advances in Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning for Neurochemical Sensing
Bhavya Sharma; University of Tennessee-Knoxville
10:35 am - 10:55 am: Coffee Break
10:55 am - 12:55 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Hide Sato; Kwansei Gakuin University
Session Keynote
11:20 am - 11:50 am
Imaging Protein Receptors in Cellular Assays
Zachary Schultz; Ohio State University
Invited Talk
11:50 am - 12:10 pm
Transmission IR Imaging of Molecular Abundances in Live Cells
Young Jong Lee; NIST
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
High-Resolution Raman Hematology: Raman markers of isolated leukocytes
Aleksandra Borek-Dorosz; Jagiellonian University
12:25 pm - 12:40 pm
Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy detects single circulating tumour cells in the blood of a lung cancer patient. A new Liquid Biopsy tool?
Charlotte Louise Evans; Keele University, UK
12:40 pm - 12:55 pm
Multimodal Approaches to Sub-cellular Neurodegenerative Pathology
Diana E Bedolla; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
12:55 pm - 1:10 pm
Reagent-free Interpretable Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis using Blood Plasma and Urine Sample
Deb Roy; Swansea University
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Lunch Break
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During this lunch-time conversation we will explore the ways self-doubt, perfectionism, and internalized pressure can shape confidence and professional growth. Through guided discussion, reflection exercises, and shared experiences, participants will examine common patterns associated with imposter feelings and learn practical strategies for reframing negative self-talk, recognizing accomplishments, and building resilience. We will discuss how imposter feelings show up in academic and workplace settings, and exchange strategies for building confidence and resilience. The session is intended to create a supportive space for honest conversation, connection, and mutual encouragement.
Discussion Lead: Anita Mahadevan-Jansen
Location: Student Life Center
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
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Moderator: Christine O’Brien;
Washington University in St. Louis
Division of Rheumatology and Immunology
Tracy Frech, MD, MSCI and Justin Baba, PhD
Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology
Jeff Reese, MD and Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, PhD
Dxcover
Jeff McCormack, MD and Matt Baker, PhD
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Yeran Bai; University of Arizona
Session Keynote
2:40 pm - 3:10 pm
Infrared spectroscopic imaging for clinical histopathology
Rohit Bhargava; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Invited Talk
3:10 pm - 3:30 pm
Relationships between diet and resultant liver pathology
Allison Hobro; Osaka University
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Label-Free Raman Spectroscopy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: From Tumor Biopsies to Therapy Response Monitoring in Patient-Derived Tumor Slice Cultures
Victor Alcolea-Rodriguez; Politecnico di Milano
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Raman Spectroscopy coupled with Spectral Unmixing for Interpretable Ex Vivo Characterization of Human Synovial Tissue in Inflammatory Arthritis
Carlo Francesco Morasso; Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm: Coffee Break
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Andreana Holowatyj; Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Department of Cancer Biology
Session Keynote
4:40 pm - 5:10 pm
Detection of Microplastics in Pediatric Tonsil Tissue
Amir Golchin; Stanford University School of Medicine
Invited Talk
5:10 pm - 5:30 pm
Nanoplastics Are Not Inert: Direct Visualization of Plastic-Induced Molecular Changes by O-PTIR
Oxana Klementieva; Lund University
Invited Talk
5:30 pm - 5:50 pm
Spectroscopic nanotweezers for environmental pollutant monitoring
Justus Ndukaife; Vanderbilt University
5:50 pm - 6:15 pm
Revealing molecular signatures with mid-IR photothermal imaging
Michelle Sander; Boston University
6:15 pm - 6:30 pm
Rapid FTIR-based detection of methanol in alcoholic beverages as a public health screening tool
Raffaele Stasi; IPEN-SP/USP
6:30 pm - 7:00 pm
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The Potential of Serum-Based ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Combined with Machine Learning for Ovarian Cancer Triage
Laura Cate Brookfield
University of Lancashire
Poster 19
Multivariate FTIR Analysis of Salivary Profiles Across Conventional and Alternative Smoking Habits
Giovana dos Santos Toledo
Universidade de Taubaté
Poster 21
QN-STIM, a novel virtual staining method for in-cellulo single-cell imaging of de novo nucleotide synthesis in cancer cells
Jiro Karlo
Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad
Poster 22
Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Salivary Spectroscopy for Multiple Sclerosis
Valerio Garrone Barauna
Federal University of Espirito Santo
Poster 24
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
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Cross brand classification of ferrous sulfate supplements using Raman spectra and machine learning
Emerson Durán
Universidad Santo Tomás; Universidad Católica
Poster 17
Principal Component Analysis Applied to Infrared Spectroscopy as a Multivariate Approach for Biofluid Analysis
Analice de Oliveira
Universidade de Taubaté
Poster 18
High-Resolution Analysis of Molecular Alignment in 2D and 3D by FL-PTIR and O-PTIR
Honorata Oleś
Jagiellonian University
Poster 19
The Potential of Serum-Based ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Combined with Machine Learning for Ovarian Cancer Triage
Laura Cate Brookfield
University of Lancashire
Poster 20
Grouped Evaluation of Deep Learning on Label-Free Leukemia Raman Cell Maps
Husnu Baris Baydargil
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Poster 21
Multivariate FTIR Analysis of Salivary Profiles Across Conventional and Alternative Smoking Habits
Giovana dos Santos Toledo
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Poster 22
QN-STIM, a novel virtual staining method for in-cellulo single-cell imaging of de novo nucleotide synthesis in cancer cells
Jiro Karlo
Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad
Poster 23
Benchmarking AI for Raman Spectral Unmixing Across Simulated, Phantom, and Clinical Spectroscopy Data
Marilyn Lionts
Vanderbilt University
Poster 24
Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Salivary Spectroscopy for Multiple Sclerosis
Valerio Garrone Barauna
Federal University of Espirito Santo
Poster 25
Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry (REMS) for in vivo clinical diagnostics of skeleta fragility in oncology
Fabiola Rosa Contaldo
University of Salento
Poster 26
Using Raman signals to localise and monitor nanoparticle mediated photothermal therapy
Nick Stone
University of Exeter
Poster 27
Subtype-Specific Bone Mineralization Defects and Early Treatment Amelioration in Murine Models of Autosomal Recessive Osteopetrosis Revealed by Raman Spectroscopy
Renzo Vanna
Politecnico di Milano
Poster 28
Sensitive and fast hyperspectral SRS imaging as well as TPE microscopy with new light source
Ingo Rimke
APE Angewandte Physik und Elektronik GmbH
Poster 29
Poster 30
PlasmoSniff: Towards Breath-Based Diagnostics with Water-Mediated Capture of Synthetic Breath Biomarkers in SERS-Active Plasmonic Nanogaps
Seleem Badawy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tuesday, May 19th, 2026
Location: Student Life Center
Tuesday’s Session Moderators
Nick Stone
University of Exeter, Physics and Astronomy
Bhavya Sharma
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Chemistry
8:00 am - 9:50 am
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Nick Stone; University of Exeter
Session Keynote
8:00 am - 8:30 am
The Evolution of Spectroscopy from Slow Research Devices to Rapid Application Focused Decision Drivers
Luifei Chen and Fiona Xu; Horiba
8:30 am - 8:50 am
End-to-end Convolutional Autoencoder Streamlines FTIR Spectral Preprocessing in Antibiotic Quality Monitoring
Vinicius Anjos; Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
8:50 am - 9:05 am
Application of Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy (O-PTIR) Spectroscopy for Submicron Chemical Imaging of Single Cells
Karolina Ewa Kadela; Jagiellonian University
9:05 am - 9:20 am
Implementation of Broadband Multimodal Stimulated Raman Scattering in a Clinical Laboratory Environment: Workflow Integration and Clinical Evaluation
Anna Mühlig; Jena University Hospital
9:20 am - 9:35 am
Confounder-aware, interpretable FTIR–AI phenotyping of extracellular vesicles across different cell lines
Jizhou Zhong; King's College London
9:35 am - 9:50 am
Raman Dry Mass: A direct conversion between high-wavenumber Raman intensity and biomolecular dry mass composition
Alec Walter; Vanderbilt University
9:50 am - 10:00 am: Coffee Break
10:00 am - 11:55 am
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Bhavya Sharma; University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Session Keynote
10:10 am - 10:35 am
Raman Spectroscopy: Prognostic Applications in Head and Neck Cancers
Dr. Murali Krishna Chilakapati; TMC-ACTREC, India
Invited Talk
10:35 am - 10:55 am
Analyze Raman Spectroscopy Data with Deep Learning
Yuankai Huo; Vanderbilt University
10:55 am - 11:10 am
Deep Learning Classification of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Micro-FTIR Hyperspectral Imaging
Daniella Peres; IPEN/CNEN and University of Sao Paulo
11:10 am - 11:25 am
Rapid Identification of Antibacterial Mechanisms of Action Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Multivariate Analysis
Manisha Sheokand; University of Cincinnati
11:25 am - 11:40 am
Integrating Raman Spectroscopy and Deep Learning to Predict Tensile Biochemical Properties of Human Cortical Bone
Mustafa Unal; Health Institutes of Türkiye
11:40 am - 11:55 pm
What is a Spectral Token? Rethinking how transformers see Infrared Spectra
Krzysztof Jozef Dziuba; The University of Manchester
11:55 am
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Jack Daniel Distillery Tour
Want to walk the hallowed hollow and learn something about Mr. Jack’s Distillery? See firsthand how Tennessee whiskey is carefully crafted, all while learning more about our founder – Mr. Jack. You’ll be treated to a story-filled, guided walk through our historic distillery, concluding with a taste of six different Jack Daniel Tennessee Whiskey samples.
Foggy Bottom Kayak
Kayak with our group down the beautiful scenic Harpeth River! The Harpeth River, 115 miles long, is one of the major streams of north-central Middle Tennessee, United States, and a major tributary of the Cumberland River. Via the Cumberland and the Ohio Rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. It is one of the only un-dammed rivers in the state of Tennessee. The portion of the river to be traversed for the tour is about 20 minutes outside of Nashville.
Nashville City Tour
There’s no better way to explore Music City than to tour Nashville by bus! This engaging experience lets you discover the best of Nashville and includes a stop to walk around inside the amazing Country Music Hall of Fame. Whether it’s your first visit or your tenth, our friendly local guides ensure every ride is filled with stories, laughter, and stunning views of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
7:00 pm
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Address:1612 Church St, Nashville, TN 37203
Wednesday, May 20th, 2026
Location: Student Life Center
Wednesday’s Session Moderators
Jeon Woong Kang
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering
Randy Bartels
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Isaac Pence
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering
8:00 am - 9:50 am
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Jeon Woong Kang; MIT
Session Keynote
8:10 am - 8:40 am
Image-to-Omics Translation with AI
Jian Shu; Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Invited Talk
8:40 am - 9:00 am
Advancing Tissue Diagnostics with Label-Free Photothermal Mid-IR Imaging
Rohith Reddy; University of Houston
9:00 am - 9:15 am
SERS-Sensing Hydrogels for Early Pathogen Identification in Crops
Pietro Strobbia; University of Cincinnati
9:15 am - 9:30 am
Phantom-Based Evaluation of Depth Sensitivity in Transcutaneous VNIR Bone Spectroscopy
Shu-Jin Kust; Temple University
9:30 am - 9:45 am
Systemic In vivo hydration assessment using high-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy
Richard Liao; Vanderbilt University
9:45 am - 10:00 am
Combating anti-microbial resistance by AI-powered FILM
George Abu-Aqil; Boston University
9: 50 am - 10:00 am: Coffee Break
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Randy Bartels; University of Wisconsin-Madison
Invited Talk
10:20 am - 10:40 am
Optical Filter-Based Spectroscopic Quantification: A Modular Biomarker Probe Validated for Fat in Liver Specimens
Hao Guo; Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
10:40 am - 10:55 am
Band-pass Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive glucose monitoring
Jeon Woong Kang; MIT
10:55 am - 11:10 am
A Multimodal Laser-Scanning Microscope Integrating O-PTIR and PT-SRS for Translational, High-Speed Clinical Vibrational Imaging
Jay Anderson; Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp
11:10 am - 11:25 am
Towards Ultra-miniature and Wearable Raman Spectroscopic Devices for Real-World Biomedical/Health Monitoring Applications: Initial Industrial Experience and Perspective
William Yang-Terziyan; BaySpec, Inc.
11:25 am - 11:40 am
A Tunable Microsecond Pump–Probe Mid-IR Platform for Photo-Initiated Chemical Dynamics
Christopher Stuart Robertson; University of California, Davis and The SETI Institute
11:40 am - 11:55 am
Biomedical Imaging Using QCL-Based Infrared Laser Microscopy
Peng Wang; Bruker Scientific LLC
11:55 am - 12:10 pm
Feature level validation of label-free intraoperative histology in glioblastoma using stimulated Raman scattering imaging
Max Brinkmann; Refined Diagnostics
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm: Lunch
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Join us for an open and thoughtful conversation on implicit bias—how unconscious assumptions can shape perceptions, decisions, and interactions in everyday life and professional settings. This session will create space for honest dialogue, self-reflection, and shared learning as we explore what implicit biases we routinely face, how they influence workplace and community dynamics, and practical strategies for recognizing and reducing their impact. Participants are encouraged to engage respectfully, ask questions, and contribute their perspectives in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Discussion Lead: Anita Mahadevan-Jansen
Location: Student Life Center
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
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Dxcover
Holly Butler
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Isaac Pence, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Andrea Locke, PhD
Politecnico di Milano
Renzo Vanna, PhD
2:00 pm - 3:45 pm
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Session Opening & Moderator:
Isaac Pence; UT Southwestern Medical Center
Session Keynote
2:10 pm -2:40 pm
Chemical Imaging of single cell drug uptake and drug response
Dan Fu; University of Washington
Invited Talk
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm
Measuring topical drug delivery and pharmacokinetics in sebaceous glands using stimulated Raman scattering microscopy
Saara Luna; Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Fourier Transform Infrared Quantification of Skin Permeation to Expedite Pharmaceutical Development
Thomas Hibbard; King's College London
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Molecular Monitoring of a Novel ¹³¹I Radionuclide-Based Treatment for Breast Cancer by microFTIR hyperspectral histopathology
Denise Maria Zezell; IPEN/CNEN and University of Sao Paulo
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Assessing the biomolecular effects of X-ray Minibeam Radiation Therapy by means of synchrotron-based Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy and machine-learning classification models
Martina Cots Costa; Autonomous University of Barcelona
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm
SPEC 2028 INFO SESSION
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
4:30 pm
CONFERENCE ENDS