Biooptic

Biooptic is a term used to describe the intersection of biological sciences with optical technologies. It is not a formal, standalone discipline but a descriptor applied to research and development that uses light-based methods to study, image, measure, or interact with living systems. In practice, biooptic work is often closely related to, and sometimes synonymous with, bio-optics, biophotonics, or optical biology.

Core methods associated with bio optics include optical imaging and spectroscopy: fluorescence, confocal and two-photon microscopy, wide-field and super-resolution techniques, and optical coherence tomography; optical spectroscopy such as Raman and infrared methods; and optical sensing with fibers or integrated photonics for real-time biomolecule detection. The field also encompasses the design of light-delivery and detection systems, image processing, and data analysis for biological interpretation. Some related areas, like optogenetics, integrate light with biology to modulate activity, and while not purely diagnostic or imaging, are often discussed within biooptic contexts.

Applications of biooptic approaches span biomedical research and clinical diagnostics, neuroscience, microbiology, environmental monitoring, and agricultural biotechnology. In industry, biooptic methods underpin tools for imaging-guided surgery, point-of-care diagnostics, and high-throughput screening. As a concept, biooptic overlaps with established fields such as biophotonics and optical biosensing, but its usage varies by author and context, and it remains more of a descriptive label than a single standardized discipline.