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Professor Tomáš Čižmár, a researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT) and professor at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, was awarded the prestigious Czech Minister of Education, Youth, and Sports Prize on November 19, 2024. The award recognizes his pioneering work in developing a holographic endoscope for brain research—an innovation he also advances as the head of the “Complex Photonics” group at the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno.
The holographic endoscope developed by Čižmár and his international team employs optical fibers as thin as a human hair, allowing researchers to investigate the brain with subcellular precision. This cutting-edge technology opens up unprecedented opportunities for neuroscientists to observe blood flow dynamics and neuronal activity deep within the brain in extraordinary detail.
These insights play a critical role in understanding and treating neurological disorders such as dementia. Furthermore, the technology enables repeated observation of brain structures in living animals, facilitating the study of brain functions in dynamic processes like social interaction, learning, and stress.
The endoscope delivers exceptional image quality, stability, and speed, essential for exploring the brain’s deepest regions. It provides continuous visualization of the entire brain depth and captures intricate details such as dendritic spines and subcellular vesicles. Additionally, it measures the activity of individual neurons and the blood flow in specific vessels. While the technology has so far been tested only on anesthetized animals, it already shows great promise for advancing in vivo neuroscience. Čižmár and his team have published the fundamental principles of this technology in leading scientific journals, including Nature and Science.
Interdisciplinary Expertise from Jena and Brno
Professor Čižmár’s research spans physics, neuroscience, and medical technology. At the Leibniz-IPHT, he leads the Fiber Optics Department, teaches waveguide optics at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and heads the “Complex Photonics” group at the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno. His interdisciplinary approach demonstrates how foundational research and technological innovation can address critical societal challenges.
From Research to Application: DeepEn
In addition to his academic work, Čižmár serves as a scientific advisor to DeepEn, a spin-off of the Leibniz-IPHT. DeepEn designs ultra-thin endoscopes for minimally invasive examinations of hard-to-reach areas of the body. With subcellular resolution, these instruments support the study of neurological diseases and contribute to the development of new therapies. DeepEn has received several accolades for its innovative solutions and is currently a finalist for the Audience Award in the Thüringer Innovation Prize competition.
Academic Career of Professor Tomáš Čižmár:
Since 2017: Head of the Fiber Optics Department, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Jena, Germany and Professor of Waveguide and Fiber Optics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
Since 2017: Head of the Complex Photonics Lab, Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno
2013–2017: Reader (Associate Professor) in Physics and Life Sciences, School of Science & Engineering, University of Dundee, UK
2010–2013: Academic Fellow in Medical Photonics, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, UK
2007–2010: Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, UK
2006: PhD in Physics (Wave and Particle Optics), Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences/ Masaryk University, Brno
Key Research Projects:
2024–2025: STED-activated super-resolution multimode fiber-based holographic endoscopy for deep neuronal connectivity observation (STEDGate), funded by ERC
2022–2024: Minimally invasive endoscopes for monitoring neuronal activity and optogenetic stimulation deep in the brain (WOKEGATE), funded by ERC
2022–2024: Single-fiber holographic endoscopy for stroke observation in deep brain structures (StrokeGATE), funded by ERC
2021–2025: Deep Brain Photonic Tools for Cell-Type Specific Targeting of Neural Diseases (DEEPER), funded by EU Horizon 2020
2017–2023: Holographic super-resolution microendoscopy for in vivo applications (LIFEGATE), funded by ERC
2017–2022: Holographic endoscopy for in vivo applications (Gate2µ), funded by the Czech Operational Program for Research, Development, and Education
Major Awards:
2024: Life Sciences Prize, European Microscopy Society
2022: Silver Medal for Patents and Patent Applications, International Trade Fair for Ideas, Inventions, and Innovations (IENA, Nuremberg)
2014: Honorary Lectureship, University of St Andrews
2014: Werner von Siemens Excellence Award, First Prize for Outstanding Basic Research
Text: Pavla Schieblová, Lavinia Meier-Ewert
Prof. Dr. Tomáš Čižmár
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Fiber Research and Technology, Head of Research Department
+49 (0) 3641 · 206-200
tomas.cizmar@leibniz-ipht.de
Prof. Dr. Tomáš Čižmár
Jana Plavec
Akademie věd České republiky
The ultra-thin fiber optic endoscope is used for in vivo microscopic imaging of deep structures in t ...
Jana Plavec
Akademie věd České republiky
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