Project description
Revolutionising modern microscopy
There have been several major changes in biological and medical research due to the recent advancements in optical microscopy, which have brought about revolutionary changes in these sectors and made possible important discoveries and inventions. Nevertheless, there are still some critical constraints, such as scattering and aberrations within the tissues, which limit the resolution within deeper depths and restrict further developments within this area. The EIC-funded UNILENS project aims to create an advanced, universal and digitally programmable objective lens that incorporates wavefront shaping into its design and allows for real-time control of light without any moving parts within the objective lens.
Objective
Modern optical microscopy has transformed biological and medical research, yet fundamental limitations persist: scattering and aberrations in tissue degrade resolution at depth, while current adaptive optics solutions remain bulky, costly, or modality-restricted. UNILENS aims to disrupt the modus operandi of microscopy by creating a universal, digitally programmable objective lens that directly embeds wavefront shaping into the lens itself. This breakthrough merges fabrication-aware designed photonic phase plates with adaptive software-controlled wavefront correction, enabling precise, real-time light control without mechanical movement.
Building on the technological foundations of the H2020 DynAMic and WAVELENS projects, UNILENS will deliver and validate TRL 6 prototypes across three flagship modalities with the highest unmet needs: multiphoton microscopy (deeper, higher-contrast imaging in scattering tissue), structured illumination microscopy (SIM) (robust super-resolution via engineered disorder patterns), and super-resolution microscopy (phase-engineered depletion profiles for sub-diffraction imaging). Light-sheet microscopy, where the concept was first proven, will serve as a validation benchmark.
Beyond research applications, UNILENS has the potential to disrupt diagnostic microscopy, reducing reliance on destructive sample preparation and chemical stains. By enabling high-resolution imaging at depth, it offers a faster, more sustainable diagnostic pathway.
The project will deliver: (i) advanced photonic plates designed with inverse modelling (Wavesim), (ii) a universal SDK for adaptive control and modality switching, (iii) four fully integrated prototypes validated on biological models, and (iv) an exploitation roadmap driven by end-user engagement, IP protection, and regulatory alignment. By combining disruptive optics with a clear exploitation pathway, UNILENS positions Europe at the forefront of next-generation microscopy and diagnostic innovation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2025-TRANSITIONOPEN
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700 13 Heraklion
Greece
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