Laser-assisted biotechnology: the biologist point of view

The main applications of laser to different fields of medicine and biology are reviewed and compared by a biologist. The good output of high quality papers in the biomedical field effectively contrasts with a scarce popularity of lasers in biological laboratory. In fact, a search in the Medlars database, confirmed that the use of lasers in a strict biological context is very limited or confined to few oriented laboratories. The `common' biologist does not have a precise point of view. In this perspective, the biologist would propose the following approach: (1) promote training programs to create new professional figures; (2) encourage the formation of scientific and technological research networks between biologists and laser specialists.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.