Microverse Board Member Jürgen Popp Honored with Prestigious Ellis R. Lippincott Award

Portrait of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp, Scientific Director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology and Director of the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Jena | Photo: Sven Döring
Portrait of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp, Scientific Director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology and Director of the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Jena | Photo: Sven Döring

Prof. Jürgen Popp, Principal Investigator and Board Member of the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse," has been named the 2026 recipient of the Ellis R. Lippincott Award. This international distinction, presented jointly by Optica, the Coblentz Society, and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, recognizes Popp's pioneering leadership in the field of vibrational spectroscopy.

Advancing Diagnostics for Infection Research The award honors Prof. Popp’s significant contributions to translational clinical Raman spectroscopy. His work is instrumental in bridging the gap between basic photonic research and clinical application. Within the context of the Microverse Cluster, his research plays a crucial role in developing label-free, real-time diagnostic tools for infection research and precision medicine.

By integrating laser-based spectroscopy with clinical needs, Popp’s team advances methods to rapidly identify pathogens and analyze microbial interactions—key components of the Cluster's research agenda.

A Testament to Interdisciplinary Collaboration In addition to the Lippincott Award, Prof. Popp was also honored in January 2026 with the SPIE Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award. Popp views these accolades as a recognition of collaborative success:

"Translation succeeds only through close collaboration—between chemistry, physics, the life sciences, and medicine... Progress in biophotonic diagnostics emerges from strong networks."

As Scientific Director of Leibniz IPHT and Professor of Physical Chemistry at  the University of Jena, Popp has spent decades building these networks, positioning Jena as a global hub for biophotonics.

The award ceremony will take place in October 2026 at the SciX conference in Sparks, Nevada.