From January to June 2026, Dr.-Ing. Lukas Brand and doctoral researcher Timo Jakumeit from IDC joined the Ultrabroadband Nanonetworking Laboratory at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, as visiting researchers. The laboratory is led by Prof. Josep M. Jornet, a leading expert in terahertz (THz) communications and nano-networking and the research stay was funded by the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
During their research stay, Lukas and Timo collaborated closely with Prof. Jornet, PhD student Rob Dotson, and postdoctoral researcher Hadeel Elayan on the emerging field of the Internet of Bio-Nano Things (IoBNT). In this vision, THz-enabled gateway devices could facilitate sensing and actuation within the human body, enabling innovative applications in health monitoring and personalized medicine.
The research focused on investigating the effects of electromagnetic signals at THz frequencies on proteins in human tissue to better understand how tissue heating depends on signal frequency, transmit power, and beam characteristics. The work combined experimental studies using a newly established THz bio-testbed with mathematical modeling and finite-element simulations of sample heating. Lukas and Timo contributed to the setup, calibration, and modeling of the testbed, laying the foundation for ongoing investigations into THz–biological interactions.
The collaboration has already produced valuable results and established a strong basis for future joint research activities between IDC and Northeastern University in the fields of THz communications and bio-nanonetworking. We would like to sincerely thank Prof. Jornet for hosting the IDC at Northeastern University and for providing an excellent research environment!
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