Haag-Streit Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics

The Haag-Streit Group has provided the University of Bern with a considerable sum to set up a state-of-the-art laser laboratory at the Institute of Applied Physics. This donation opens up new opportunities for interdisciplinary research at the interface between photonics, biotechnology and medicine. The aim is to develop new optical and therefore gentle diagnostic processes in the fields of biology and medicine. The donation, a token of a long association over many years, was announced during a meeting that coincided with the 150th anniversary of Haag-Streit AG in 2008 and the 175th anniversary of the University of Bern in 2009.

"We at Haag-Streit have been involved in optics and precision mechanics for over 100 years. The combination of these with electronics, image processing and laser technology introduced us to the field of photonics. The University of Bern has also been involved in a number of areas for years now, from space technology and data transmission to medical projects involving photonics. Hopefully, if the university and the wider economy are thinking and acting along similar lines, we should be able to achieve some fantastic results in the field of photonics." Walter Inäbnit, CEO of the Haag-Streit Group.