THz-BRIDGE: an European project for the study of the interaction of terahertz radiation with biological systems

The recent technological break-through of electromagnetic radiation sources, components and devices in the terahertz (THz) region has triggered a variety of applications in the field of material science, biology and biomedicine. Biological applications are based on the specific spectroscopic fingerprints of biological matter in this spectral region. The results of an European research project found to study the interaction of THz radiation with biological matter are presented in this paper. The THz-BRIDGE project involves ten research groups from five European countries and takes advantage of the complementary expertise of its partners, from spectroscopy to optics and microwave engineering, from biophysics to biology and medicine.