Aurèle Adam develops THz near-field imaging and spectroscopy. Research: (1) apertureless scattering-type near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) at THz frequencies for nanometre spatial resolution imaging of material properties; (2) THz time-domain spectroscopy of quantum materials and condensed matter systems; (3) antenna-coupled detectors and sources for THz near-field imaging. Relevant to quantum material characterisation at the nanoscale.

Daan Brinks develops all-optical electrophysiology tools for neuroscience. His lab engineers genetically-encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) and combines them with optogenetics to read out and control neural circuit activity. Key directions: (1) engineering bright, fast GEVIs with improved photostability and voltage sensitivity; (2) multiplexed all-optical neural circuit mapping; (3) identifying rare aggressive cancer cells using voltage-sensitive dyes. His voltage imaging approach represents cutting-edge biosensing at the intersection of photonics and neuroscience.

Jian-Rong Gao develops superconducting THz heterodyne detector arrays for radio astronomy and fundamental physics applications. Key work: (1) hot electron bolometer (HEB) and SIS mixer THz receivers operating at sub-mm and THz frequencies; (2) detector arrays for space and ground-based radio telescopes (Herschel, ALMA, and future missions); (3) low-noise amplification at THz frequencies. Joint professor TU Delft and SRON (Netherlands Institute for Space Research).

James Gates is a Professorial Fellow at Southampton's ORC, specialising in photonic fabrication for quantum technologies. Research: (1) low-loss glass waveguide fabrication for photonic quantum computing and sensing (EPSRC UPROAR and PURE projects); (2) fabrication innovations for superconducting and ion trap quantum computing; (3) atom trap photonic integration. PI of major EPSRC quantum technology grants; Co-I of QCS Hub and CDT in Quantum Technology Engineering. Key fabrication enabler for quantum photonic sensors.

Hylkje Geertsema uses single-molecule super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (TIRF, SMLM, PALM/STORM) to study DNA replication dynamics. Her lab visualises and quantifies individual replication proteins at replication forks in living cells to understand the kinetics and fidelity of DNA copying. Research focuses on measuring spatiotemporal dynamics of protein assemblies during DNA metabolism with nanometre resolution.

Simon Groeblacher's lab probes quantum physics at meso- and macroscopic scales using mechanical motion, rare-earth ion emitters, and superconducting qubits. Key research directions: (1) quantum optomechanics with photonic crystal nano-beam resonators deep in the resolved-sideband regime; (2) silicon defect emitters (rare-earth doped silicon) for quantum network nodes; (3) quantum acoustics experiments coupling mechanical resonators to superconducting qubits. The lab fabricates all devices in-house at Kavli Nanolab and has received NWO Summit Grant for 'Quantum Limits' and QDNL/NWO grant for quantum network nodes.

Jacob Hoogenboom develops integrated correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) and molecular nanophotonic imaging. Research: (1) 3-in-1 microscopy combining light, electron beam, and ion beam for precise biological sample sectioning and protein localisation; (2) integrated CLEM for mapping proteins in cellular context; (3) single-molecule nanophotonic sensing using fluorescence. Relevant to advanced single-molecule biosensing approaches.

Jeroen Kalkman develops optical tomography and spectroscopy methods for biomedical imaging. Research: (1) Fourier-domain OCT including spectroscopic OCT for tissue structural and functional imaging; (2) novel light sources and detectors for skin cancer detection (NWO KIC project NextDeLights); (3) scattering media imaging. His work is relevant to advanced biosensing with optical coherence.

Kobus Kuipers' lab develops and applies near-field optical microscopy to study nanophotonic phenomena with sub-wavelength spatial resolution. Research: (1) near-field imaging of topological photonic states (topological edge and interface modes in photonic crystals); (2) near-field microscopy of plasmonics and nanophotonics; (3) visualizing light transport at the nanoscale. Borderline for quantum sensing but directly relevant to nanophotonic quantum sensing platforms.

David Maresca's lab pushes the boundaries of biomedical ultrasound imaging. Research: (1) functional ultrasound imaging of the brain at cellular resolution (vascular signal decoding, brain-computer interface applications); (2) engineering gas vesicle and microbubble acoustic contrast agents as genetically-encoded biosensors; (3) ultrafast ultrasound for cardiac imaging. The lab aims to image individual cells deep inside living organs using next-generation ultrasound. NWO Vici Grant (2026); Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Dynamic Imaging grant.