Ntziachristos is Director of the Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI) and Director of Bioengineering at Helmholtz Munich, as well as Chair of Biological Imaging at the Technical University of Munich. He also co-founded Spear, a spin-off of Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich dedicated to translating advanced imaging technologies into healthcare applications.
Advancing Biomedical Imaging through Optoacoustics
The Future Insight Prize honors scientists whose work has the potential to enable transformative innovations for humanity. This year’s award recognizes Ntziachristos’ pioneering research in optoacoustic imaging, a technology that combines light and sound to visualize biological processes deep inside living tissue.
Ntziachristos’ research has fundamentally advanced biomedical imaging by introducing optoacoustic technologies that combine light and sound to visualize tissue structures and functions with unprecedented resolution and depth. Unlike conventional optical sensing methods, optoacoustic approaches enable direct measurement of biological signals such as microcirculation, oxygenation and metabolic activity. These capabilities address a fundamental limitation of current sensing approaches by allowing for non-invasive observation of a large number of biological processes that define health and disease. By translating these advances into sensor technologies, the awarded research aims to make possible a new class of health systems capable of capturing multiple biomarkers simultaneously and continuously over time.
“I am grateful to see Merck’s support for our pioneering research,” says Vasilis Ntziachristos. “Our goal has always been to observe biological processes in ways that were not previously possible. By expanding the depth, quality and dimensionality of non-invasive measurement, we aim to support earlier disease detection, more effective therapies and better outcomes for patients.”
About the Merck Future Insight Prize
Awarded annually since 2018, the Future Insight Prize recognizes visionary scientific achievements with the potential to drive breakthrough innovations for humanity. The prize is presented by Merck and supports research that advances ambitious scientific goals with long-term societal impact.
