Strategic partnership with the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology

The extension of partnerships with top European research institutions is part of the development plan of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC).

International strategic partnerships provide a platform for joint applications for EU and national grants, bringing mutual benefits to all research institutions involved. Partnerships strengthen academic exchanges, contribute to the quality of doctoral training at the IPC, and stimulate the exchange of knowledge on science management. The partnerships enable us to implement the best, proven solutions in the administration of a scientific institution at the IPC.

Currently, our strategic partners are the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT, Jena, Germany) and University College London (UCL, UK; in particular the Institute of Ophthalmology and the Thomas Young Centre).

(Bio)photonics has been identified as a common field of interest for the IPC, Leibniz-IPHT and UCL. These units have complementary expertise that will lead to discoveries of significance in medical diagnostics, materials science and spectroscopy.

In this article, we aim to introduce you to our activities to date as well as our plans related to one of our partners, Leibnitz-IPHT.

Leibniz-IPHT is a research institution based in Jena, Thuringia, Germany, formally affiliated with the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Leibniz-IPHT is firmly rooted in the national and international research community as a member of the German Leibniz Association. Research at Leibniz-IPHT addresses the fundamentals of photonic processes and systems with the highest sensitivity, efficiency and resolution. In keeping with the motto "Photonics for Life", Leibniz-IPHT develops customized solutions to problems in the fields of medicine, security applications, life sciences and environmental protection. In line with Leibniz-IPHT's "From Ideas to Instruments" principle, the institute implements the knowledge gained from its research to make a lasting contribution to patients and consumers. With its research profile, Leibniz-IPHT fits perfectly into the scientific and economic hub that is Jena - a city that, since the days of E. Haeckel, C. Zeiss, O. Schott and E. Abbe has traditionally been characterized by effective interaction between science and industry.

Interactions between the IPC and Leibniz-IPHT began in 2023 in connection with the visit of Prof. Dr. Benjamin Dietzek (Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of Leibniz-IPHT) to the IPC at the invitation of Prof. Adam Kubas, Director of the IPC. The lecture was very popular among the IPC community. Prof. Dietzek spent the day meeting with the teams at the IPC and appreciated both the organization, equipment and quality of the research conducted. In November 2023, the first joint virtual doctoral seminar between the IPC and Leibniz-IPHT was held, which was enthusiastically received by the communities of both institutes. In December 2023, a joint seminar was held in Jena, attended by representatives of both units. The event had the character of a "brokerage" type meeting. The meeting focused on exchanging knowledge, experiences and discussing plans for joint research and research projects. Participants had the opportunity to participate in presentations, discussions and laboratory visits, which fostered further relationship building and identification of areas for joint work. The event had a significant impact on the long-term cooperation between the IPC and the Leibniz-IPHT, strengthening both interpersonal and scientific relations between the research teams of the two institutions. We have already identified (about a month after the visit) two established research collaborations (on behalf of the IPC it is Prof. Prochowicz's and Prof. Stepanenko's groups).

Leibniz-IPHT is an institute that is similar in many ways to the IPC. Both institutions share common research interests, similar structure and size. Of the approximately 420 research staff, about 120 are doctoral students (at the IPC it is about 250 and 80 respectively). The IPC is part of the Polish Academy of Sciences, while the Leibniz-IPHT is part of the prestigious network of Leibniz institutes in Germany. Both the IPC and Leibniz-IPHT direct their research toward solving important social, health and environmental problems, demonstrating their commitment to contributing to scientific progress in ways that are relevant to society.

In the near future, we will be outlining our joint activities with our other partner, UCL.