Medical laser application is a broad area for research and development with the vision of improving clinical therapeutic procedures or to extend into new fields for lasers in medical use. Novel biomedical laser applications are emerging due to the advent of new types of lasers that widen the possible spectrum of laser-tissue interactions to improve the target-oriented precise application of laser radiation in clinical practice. Laser light applications include the whole range of non-thermal to thermal reactions up to ionization effects either on the macro-scale, e.g. soft tissue smoothing without ablation, or on the micro scale, e.g. selective retina therapy, to the nano-scale for surgery within cells, as well as short-pulsed laser applications to treat soft and hard tissue in patients. In addition to that new laser light application techniques as well as innovative medical keyhole techniques such as laser assisted NOTES (Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery) are under investigation.

Highly sophisticated targeting strategies including endogenous or applied chromophores as well as conjugation of chromophores or nanoparticles with antibodies pave the way for new treatment modalities. Furthermore combination therapies such as the synergetic use of photodynamic therapy and immunomodulatory or antiseptics are encouraging new fields for research and clinical studies.
Improved understanding of biological reactions triggered by laser radiation interacting with natural absorbing sites, targeting molecules, photosensitizers, or nanoparticles will lead to progress in the creation of minimally-invasive clinical laser light applications or assist in elucidating particular immunological responses from the tissue.

Theoretical considerations and modeling of laser light distribution in tissue with subsequent energy transfer and tissue interactions constitute a solid basis for therapy planning in patients, particular if combined by improved light delivery and monitoring techniques. 

This conference will provide an interdisciplinary forum for scientists, engineers, technicians, and medical doctors using laser assisted treatment modalities to discuss the progress in all these topics. The forum joins presentations from in-vitro investigations up to clinical studies of new laser light irradiance in the range of 10(-3) – 10(18) Wcm(-2) to lead to actual clinical and medical questions where laser assisted techniques can play an important role in future.