Here you will find information about publicly funded research projects – both ongoing and completed, carried out at JenLab GmbH.
FLIM-ACNE: Two-Photon FLIM to visualize acne-specific bacteria in vivo in the human skin
Project Partner: Charité – Center for Experimental and Applied Physiology of the Skin (CCP)
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions, affecting approximately 85% of adolescents and young adults. Its development is driven by a combination of excess sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, and microbial imbalance, particularly involving Cutibacterium acnes. Conventional antibiotic-based treatments often lead to bacterial resistance and fail to address underlying microbiome disturbances. This underscores the urgent need for innovative, non-invasive solutions that are both diagnostic and therapeutic. This project aims to transform acne diagnostics and treatment through the development of the "FaceImager", a compact, handheld multiphoton tomography (MPT) imaging head. "FaceImager" will allow in vivo, high-resolution fluorescence lifetime imaging of acne-related bacteria, particularly C. acnes, across all facial regions. FLIM of the skin´microsflora in the red spectral range will be based on the natural fluorescence of bacterial porphyrins, particularly from C. acnes. The project also investigates far-UVC irradiation as an antibiotic-free treatment strategy, targeting acne-specific bacteria without damaging healthy skin tissue. Validation studies will be conducted with the goal of future clinical implementation.
Outcome: A next-generation diagnostic and therapeutic platform that enables personalized acne management and contributes to safer, microbiome-conscious dermatological care.
Project Duration: January 2025 – December 2027
Co-Funding: European Union (EFRE, ProFit, 10209184) and Investitionsbank Berlin
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OrganVision: Technology for real-time visualizing and modelling of fundamental process in living organoids towards new insights into organ-specific health, disease, and recovery
Learn more about OrganVision: https://www.organvision.eu/
OrganVision is an innovative microscopy platform designed to revolutionize organoid research by enabling real-time, label-free 3D imaging of living tissues with sub-cellular (~200 nm) and inter-cellular (~1 µm) resolution at speeds exceeding one volume per second. To achieve this capability, OrganVision will develop an advanced multi-physics solver that simultaneously addresses Transport of Intensity (ToI) and Full Wave Electromagnetic (FWEM) models. The ToI component generates 3D images with inter-cellular resolution. The FWEM model is used to resolve near-field light interactions between sub-cellular structures, producing detailed 3D images at the sub-cellular level. A custom-built microscope will support this process by projecting specially designed 3D illumination patterns. OrganVision will also develop a computational model to analyze the dynamic interactions of biological structures captured by its imaging system, enabling the identification of underlying physiological mechanisms. The proof-of-concept will be shown on engineered heart tissues for real-time imaging of cell and tissue activity towards studying injury, repair, and regeneration in heart muscle.
Project Duration: July 2022 – July 2026
Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 964800.
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