Dr Sanathana Konugolu Venkata Sekar elected as Fellow of Optica

4 Dec 2025

Dr Sanathana Konugolu Venkata Sekar, School of Physics, UCC and researcher at Tyndall National Institute, has been elected as a Fellow of Optica, one of the most prestigious honours in the global optics and photonics community.

The prestigious recognition celebrates Dr Konugolu’s accomplishments in pioneering equitable biophotonics technologies, advancing optical health monitoring, driving global biophotonics standardisation, and demonstrating impactful leadership in biophotonics entrepreneurship. 

Dr Konugolu is a leading scientist and entrepreneur at IPIC, the Research Ireland Centre for photonics, and this latest achievement builds on his remarkable track record. In 2024, he was awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Grant for his project NOBIAS, which addresses racial bias in optical health monitoring. His patented TD-DOS technology enables accurate physiological sensing across all skin tones, setting new standards for inclusive innovation.

Commenting on his election, Dr Konugolu said:

"I am truly honoured by this recognition from Optica. Being elected a Fellow alongside inspiring leaders like Prof. Charbon (EPFL, one of my inspirations in the field) is both humbling and motivating. I am deeply grateful for the support, encouragement, and opportunities provided by UCC and Tyndall, which have allowed me to take unconventional paths and pursue impactful work across disciplines, from my early days of founding BioPixS into a globally recognised standards company in biophotonics, to securing an ERC grant, leading several EU and industrial projects, building a vibrant FAST-Biophotonics group, and receiving multiple awards and recognitions along the way".

Through BioPixS, Dr Konugolu and his team develop and distribute optical tissue phantoms used globally to benchmark medical devices, ensuring reliability and equity in healthcare technologies. He is also advancing chip-scale integration of biophotonics systems, unlocking new capabilities for portable diagnostics and personalised healthcare.

Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall, said:

"Dr Konugolu’s election as an Optica Fellow is a fantastic achievement and a proud moment for Tyndall. Optica Fellow status is reserved for the top ten percent of members worldwide who have advanced optics and photonics with distinction, and this honour reflects the world-class talent within Tyndall and strengthens our position as a leader in photonics innovation on the global stage".

Professor Stefan Andersson-Engels, Head of Biophotonics, Tyndall, and also a distinguished Optica Fellow, said: 

"We are delighted to see Dr Konugolu receive this prestigious recognition from Optica. His pioneering work in biophotonics delivers real-world impact in health monitoring and global standardisation. This honour reflects the excellence and leadership that Tyndall strives for in all our research".

Professor Paul Callanan, Head of UCC's School of Physics commented:

“We are proud of Sanathana’s election as an Optica Fellow. His pioneering work reflects the highest standards of research excellence and impact, and his achievements strengthen both our School and our collaboration with Tyndall. This honour is richly deserved."

Dr Sekar’s inclusion in the 2026 Optica Fellows Class underscores the international impact of the photonics research community in Cork. 

This follows Dr Konugolu’s previous recognition, when he was named on the Photonics 100 2026 list by Electro Optics.