O Instytucie

This project aims to establish a comprehensive metrological foundation for the use of luminescent thermometry in healthcare, enabling its transition from an experimental research technique to a practical and reliable clinical tool. Luminescent thermometry is based on materials whose light emission depends on temperature, allowing remote and highly spatially resolved measurements, even within biological tissues using fibre‑optic systems. Temperature is a key physiological parameter associated with processes such as inflammation, infection, ischemia, and therapeutic response, yet current measurement methods face significant limitations. Contact-based sensors are invasive and limited to single points, while non-contact techniques, such as infrared imaging, are restricted to surface measurements and cannot probe deeper tissues. In contrast, luminescent thermometry offers contactless operation, compatibility with complex clinical settings, and suitability for minimally invasive procedures, but its clinical adoption is currently hindered by the lack of traceable calibration methods, standardised protocols, validated reference materials, and reliable uncertainty models.

To address these challenges, the project will develop SI-traceable calibration procedures tailored to clinical environments, design and characterise reproducible luminescent reference probes, and create predictive models that describe how probe behaviour is influenced by biological conditions such as tissue scattering, blood flow, chemical variability, and mechanical motion. It will also develop clinically compatible optical instrumentation for delivering and collecting luminescent signals and establish standardised guidelines, protocols, and uncertainty budgets to support regulatory approval and industrial implementation. By going beyond the current state of the art, the project will provide well-characterised reference materials, validated measurement approaches, and models that account for the complexity of real biological environments. It will also assess the safety and stability of luminescent probes and translate scientific findings into practical procedures for clinicians and medical device manufacturers.

The expected outcomes will provide the scientific and technical basis necessary for luminescent thermometry to become a reliable tool in healthcare. This will improve diagnostic capabilities by enabling precise internal temperature mapping and support safer and more effective thermal therapies such as ablation and hyperthermia. It will also facilitate minimally invasive techniques using fibre‑optic systems and foster innovation in clinical instrumentation. By establishing traceability, standardisation, and uncertainty frameworks, the project will help align the method with regulatory requirements and promote its broader adoption, ultimately strengthening Europe’s leadership in biomedical optical metrology and advancing patient care.