Welcome to ICULTA 2026
4th International Conference on UV-LED/LD Technologies Applications
When: April 21–24, 2026
Where: Karl-Storz Visitor Center, Berlin, Germany
Building on the remarkable success of previous editions and the continuously growing demand within the UV LED community, the ICULTA conference series returns in 2026! Mark your calendars: ICULTA 2026 – The International Conference on UV LED Technologies Applications – will take place from April 21–24, 2026, as a fully in-person event in the dynamic city of Berlin, Germany.
Organized by the Advanced UV for Life – Association and supported by the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA),, ICULTA 2026 will once again bring together leading researchers, innovators, and industry pioneers to exchange knowledge, present recent advances, and highlight emerging opportunities in UV LED technologies.
Cutting-edge topics
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, UV LED technologies have entered the global spotlight. What began with strong demand for disinfection has evolved into a rapidly expanding field with application across diverse sectors. Today, UV LED-based systems are used not only for air and surface disinfection but also to control viruses, fungi and bacteria in healthcare and medical treatment – demonstrating the shift far beyond niche applications. Looking ahead, these compact, environmentally friendly and flexible light sources are set to shape the future of multiple industries. They open pathways for breakthrough in disinfection of water, air and surfaces, phototherapy, hygiene, pandemic preparedness, plant growth lighting, food safety agriculture, environmental monitoring, sensing and diagnostics – with many more applications on the horizon.
With continuous advances in epitaxy, chip technology, packaging, and far-UVC development, UV LED technology is unlocking new performance levels and creating entirely new applications for science, industry, and everyday life.
Program
Program at a Glance
Tuesday
April 21
AGM Registration from 09:30
ICULTA Registration from 13:00
Wednesday
April 22
Registration from 8:20
Thursday
April 23
Registration from 8:20
Friday
April 24
Registration from 8:40
10:00–12:30 Annual General Meeting
Members of Advanced UV for Life
12:30–14:00 AGM Networking Lunch (Members, ICULTA Sponsors, ICULTA Invitees)
--- ICULTA ---
ICULTA Tutorials (14:00–17:00)
Tim Wernicke (TU Berlin)
Introduction to Semiconductor UV-LED Technologies
Johannes Schleusener (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)
Fundamentals of UV Light & Biological Effects
Paula Zwicker (University Medicine of Greifswald)
Microbicidal Efficacy of Far-UV-C In Vitro – An Alternative for Chemical Disinfection
Mark Paravia (Opsytec Dr. Gröbel)
UV-LED & Systems: Characteristics, Measurement & Exposure Limits (EU/US)
17:00 – 18:00 Networking & Registration Reception
Conference Registration 13:00 - 18:00
Morning Session (09:00–10:30)
Welcome & Opening Remarks
09:20–09:40 – Sara Beck (University of British Columbia)
Water Treatment with Ultraviolet Disinfection (Invited)
09:40–10:00 – Axel Kramer (University Medicine Greifswald)
Far-UVC: State of the Art, Open Questions, and Promising Applications (Invited)
10:00–10:20 – Leo Schowalter (visium.one)
UV LEDs for Air Disinfection (Invited)
10:30–11:10 – Coffee break
Late Morning Session (11:10–12:40)
11:10–11:30 – Thomas Eigentler (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin)
UV and Skin – Current Clinical Applications (Invited)
11:30–11:50 – Gregor Ebert (Technical University of Munich (TUM))
Mechanistic Insights Into 222 nm Far-UV-C Inactivation of Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 Compared to Conventional UV-C (Invited)
11:50–12:05 – Andy Davies (Mackwell Health)
High-Level Disinfection in Healthcare with UV-LEDs
12:05–12:25 – Mariana Lopes (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Lighting Up Water: From Fundamental Mechanisms to Novel UV Technologies (Invited)
12:25–12:45 – Robert Emms (Human Sunlight | Airport Pilot Project USA & UK)
Prototype Development of Far-UVC for Hand Disinfection – USA & UK Airport Pilot Project (Invited)
12:45–13:40 – Lunch
Focus Session (13:40–15:00)
Block A
13:40–13:55 – Davide Amodeo (University of Siena)
SARS-CoV-2 Inactivation Mechanism Using Violet-Blue Light (405 nm)
13:55–14:10 – Dieter Groß (EBV Elektronik GmbH)
Wavelength Matters: The Antimicrobial Effect of UV-A, Blue and White LEDs on Staphylococcus aureus
14:10–14:25 – Kars-Michiel Lenssen (Independent Expert)
Far-UV for Non-Chemical Growth Control of Plants
14:25–14:40 – Karsten König (JenLab GmbH)
Optical Metabolic Imaging of UVC-LED Exposed Human Skin
14:40–15:00 – Sara Beck & Thusitha Rathnayake (University of British Columbia)
Wavelength-Specific UV-LED and Far-UVC Degradation of Microplastics
Block B
13:40–13:55 – Jakob Höpfner (TU Berlin)
Temperature dependent efficiency drop of far UVC-LEDs in the wavelength range between 218 nm and 238 nm
13:55–14:10 – Kagiso Loeto (Paul-Drude-Institut)
The Role of Point Defects in Deep-Ultraviolet Quantum-Wells
14:10–14:25 – Jan Ruschel (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut gGmbH)
Reliability aspects of UVC and far-UVC LEDs
14:25–14:40 – Buffer
15:00–15:40 – Coffee Break
Afternoon Session (15:40–17:00)
15:40–16:00 – Grigory Onushkin (Signify)
Better Life Opportunities for UV LED Applications (Invited)
16:00–16:20 – Bart Salters (Philips)
RunWell – Antifouling for Ships With UV Light (Invited)
16:20–16:40 – Oliver Lawal (UV SAFE)
Viability of Water and Wastewater Treatment Using UV LED Technology – Implementation Case Studies and Regulatory Implications
16:40–17:00 – Gabriele Messina (University of Siena / UV-Heroes)
UV Research and Spin-Off Example “UV-Heroes” (Invited)
17:00–18:00 – Roundtable
Morning Session (09:00–10:30)
Welcome & Opening
09:20–09:40 – Jens Rass (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut gGmbH)
Enhancing the applicability of far-UVC light emitting diodes – efficiency, reliability, modulation and fiber coupling capability (Invited)
09:40–09:55 – Rajul Randive (Crystal IS)
AlN Substrate Development: Approach for High Power Ultraviolet-C Light Emitting Diodes and Future Devices
09:55–10:10 – David Welch (Columbia University)
Efficacy and Risks on the 220–240 nm Range (Invited)
10:10–10:25 – Ulli Hansen (MSG Lithoglas GmbH)
High-Power-Density UVC LEDs via Multi-Chip Reflector Packaging
10:30–11:10 – Coffee break
Late Morning Session (11:10–12:40)
11:10–11:30 – Grigory Onushkin (Signify), Jan Ruschel (Ferdinand Braun Institut gGmbH)
Efficiency- and Lifetime-Limiting Effects of UVC LEDs (Invited)
11:30–11:45 – Fariborz Taghipour (University of British Columbia)
The Bright Side of Sensing: UV-LED Biosensors for Metabolic Monitoring (Invited)
11:45–12:05 – Todd Mikowski (Nichia Corporation)
UV LEDs for Sustainability and Savings (Invited)
12:05–12:25 – Alexander Wilm (ams OSRAM)
Multi-Parameter Evaluation of UV-C Sources and Systems Using the CGE Metric (Invited)
12:25–12:40 – Peter Haumer (Lumitech)
UV-C LED Systems Significantly Reduce Microbial Load in Real-World Conditions
12:40–14:20 – Poster lunch
Focus session (14:20–15:40)
Block A
14:20–14:35 – David Bustos Cavada (AquiSense)
UV-LEDs for Drinking Water Disinfection in the Netherlands as an Alternative to Mercury-Based Lamps
14:35–14:50 – Olaf Ziemann (POF-AC)
UV-Activated Peroxydisulfate Oxidation as a Pre-Treatment for Wastewater and Reverse Osmosis Plants
14:50–15:05 – Rich Simons (AquiSense)
A New Standard for UV-LED Water Treatment Systems in POU and POE Installations
15:05–15:20 – Nico Morgenbrod (Seoul Viosys)
UVC LED – Learnings From Home Appliances Applications
15:20–15:40 – Chenhe Stephen Zhang (University of British Columbia)
Robust performance prediction of decentralized flow-through UV-LED disinfection using synthetic data and machine learning
Block B
14:20–14:35 – Ziyi Zhang (ULTEC), Leo Schowalter (Nagoya University, visium.one)
Recent Progress on Nitride Semiconductor UVC Laser Diodes (Invited)
14:35–14:50 – Jordan Hill (Institute of Photonics, SUPA)
High-Speed Switching of UV-LEDs for Communications and Sensing Applications
14:50–15:05 – Josh Niebling (Illumination Devices)
From Drive Method to PCB: A System-Level Approach to UV LED Performance Optimization
3:05 PM–3:20 PM – Sarina Graupeter (TU Berlin)
Uniformity of Lasing Threshold and Optical Gain in Optically Pumped UVC Lasers
15:20–15:40 – Florian Weigert (LayTec AG)
In-situ Analysis of Thin Layer Growth in UV-LED structures Using Short-Wavelength Reflectometry
15:40–16:20 – Coffee break
Afternoon session (16:20–17:40)
16:20–16:40 – Babak Adeli (Watersprint)
The Evolution of UV-LED Water Disinfection: From Innovation to Market Readiness (Invited)
16:40–17:00 – Philipp Sperle (Xylem Water Solutions Herford GmbH)
Photolytic ozonation, a wavelength optimized advanced oxidation process when employing UVC-LEDs
17:00–17:20 – Oliver Lawal (AquiSense)
UV-C LED Technology in Water Treatment – Are We There Yet? (Invited)
17:20–17:40 - Priyanka Maity (Hoenle UV Disinfection GmbH) Thermal Management of UV‑LED‑Based Disinfection Kits
17:40–18:00 – tbd
Morning Session (09:00–10:30)
09:10–09:30 – Tim Schwarzenberger (TZW: DVGW Water Technology Center)
LEDs Do UV: Between Innovation, Regulation, and Reality (Invited)
09:30–09:50 – Martina Meinke (Charité – University Medicine Berlin)
Cutaneous Radical Formation Influence by Wavelength, Dose, Skin Model and Skin Type (Invited)
09:50–10:10 – Anna Lena Muessle (sterilAir AG)
UVC in industrial reality: speed, hygiene & production pressure (Invited)
10:10–10:30 – Carina Reble (Courage+Khazaka electronic GmbH)
Application of LEDs in Medicine: Non-Invasive Determination of Sun Protection Factor (SPF)(Invited)
10:30–11:10 - Coffee Break
Late Morning Session (11:10 AM–12:30 PM)
11:10–11:25 – Volker Kokula (LUMITRONIX LED Technology GmbH)
3D‑Formable Polyimide PCBs Enabling Advanced UV‑LED Module Architectures
11:25–11:40 – Niklas Papathanasiou (sglux GmbH)
Providing Reliable Measurements of UV Irradiance in UVC‑LED‑Based Drinking Water Purification Systems
11:40–11:55 – Henning Völlm (Gigahertz Optik GmbH)
Determining the actual emission properties of UV LEDs for their accurate application
11:40–11:55 – Verena Kowallik (TU Berlin)
Deformation of optical losses in AlGaN-based multimode waveguides
Erik Ennen (Pres. of NALMCO),
Katja Auer (Dr Katja Auer Wellness Consultants)
NALMCO – Industry GUV Certifications (Invited)
ICULTA Tutorials
Apr 21
14-17
Tutorial I: Tim Wernicke
Introduction to Semiconductor UV-LED Technologies
Tutorial II: Johannes Schleusener
Fundamentals of UV Light Biological Effects
Tutorial III: Paula Zwicker
Microbicidal Efficacy of Far-UV-C in Vitro – An Alternative to Chemical Disinfection
UV‑LED Systems: Characteristics, Measurement Exposure Limits (EU/US)
Annual General Meeting
Apr 21
10–12:30
Members of Advanced UV for Life
The members’ assembly will be held prior to the start of ICULTA.
Registration for the members’ annual general meeting → Link
Speakers Contributions
Apr 21-24
Alexander Wilm – ams OSRAM IT
Andy Davies – Mackwell Health CT
Anna Lena Müssle – sterilAir AG IT
Axel Kramer – University Medicine Greifswald, KRINKO IT
Babak Adeli – Watersprint IT
Bart Salters – Philips IT
Carina Reble – Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH IT
Christian Sinn – Köln.Optik Ingenieurbüro PP
David Bustos Cavada – AquiSense CT
David Welch – Columbia University IT
Davide Amodeo – University of Siena CT, PP
Dieter Groß – EBV Elektronik CT
Fariborz Taghipour – University of British Columbia IT
Felix Kraus – POF-AC CT
Florian Weigert – LayTec CT
Gabriele Messina – University of Siena / UV-Heroes IT
Gregor Ebert – Technical University of Munich (TUM) IT
Grigory Onushkin – Signify IT
Hafsa Hameed – Tyndall National Institute PP
Henning Völlm – Gigahertz Optik GmbH CT
Jakob Höpfner – TU Berlin CT
Jan Ruschel – Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) CT
Jens Rass – Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) IT
Jordan Hill – Institute of Photonics (SUPA) CT
Josh Niebling – Illumination Devices CT
Kagiso Loeto – Paul-Drude-Institut CT
Kars-Michiel Lenssen – Independent Expert CT
Karsten König – JenLab GmbH, Saarland University CT, PP
Katja Auer – NALMCO CT
Leo Schowalter – visium.one IT, CT
Mariana Lopes – University of Massachusetts IT
Martina Meinke – Charité Universitätsmedizin IT
Massimo Grigoletto – TU Berlin PP
Mike Clark – Gigahertz Optik GmbH PP
Nabiha Ben Sedrine – Castros SA ?
Nico Morgenbrod – Seoul Viosys CT
Niklas Papathanasiou – sglux GmbH CT
Oliver Lawal – AquiSense, UV SAFE IT
Peter Haumer – Lumitech CT
Philipp Sperle – Xylem Water Solutions CT
Priyanka Maity – Hoenle UV Disinfection GmbH CT
Rajul Randive – Crystal IS CT
Rebekah Seonggyeong Kim – TU Berlin PP
Rich Simons – AquiSense CT
Robert Emms – Human Sunlight / Airport Pilot Project (USA UK) IT
Sara Beck – University of British Columbia IT
Sarina Graupeter – TU Berlin CT
Stephen Zhang – University of British Columbia CT, IT
Tatiana Koutchma – UV4Good CT
Thomas Eigentler – Charité Universitätsmedizin IT
Thusitha Rathnayake – University of British Columbia CT
Tim Schwarzenberger – TZW – DVGW IT
Todd Mikowski – Nichia Corporation IT
Ulli Hansen – MSG Lithoglas GmbH CT
Verena Kowallik – TU Berlin CT
Volker Kokula – LUMITRONIX LED-Technik GmbH CT
Ziyi Zhang – ULTEC IT
Names in alphabetical order
IT – Invited Talk (oral presentation)
CT – Contributed Talk (oral presentation)
PP – Poster Presentation
Note to submitters not included in the speaker list: If your name does not appear in the list above and you have not received a submission rejection notification by email, please contact us.
Honorary Chair:
Günther Tränkle – Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH)
Conference Chairs:
Kumiko Oguma – University of Tokyo
Thomas Westerhoff – Fraunhofer IOSB
Program Chairs:
Silke Lohan – Charité Universitätsmedizin
Jonatan Klee – Nichia Europe
General Event Organisation
Thomas Neicke – Advanced UV for Life
Program Committee
Babak Adeli – Watersprint
Robert Bak – Signify
Sara Beck – University of British Columbia
Sven Einfeldt – Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH)
Jutta Eggers – TZW:DVGW
Mark Hoffmann – ams Osram
Klaus Jacobs – Honorary Member Advanced UV for Life
Sven Kaemmerer – Xylem
Michael Kneissl – TU Berlin
Karl Linden – University of Colorado Boulder
Harald Maiweg – Maiweg UV Consulting
Ted Mao – Evercloak Inc., former Pres. of IUVA
Martina Meinke – Charité Universitätsmedizin
Gabriele Messina – Public Health at Università di Siena
Mark Paravia – Opsytec Dr. Gröbel GmbH
Leo Schowalter – Visium, Lit Thinking
Richard Simons – Aquisense
Joseph Smart – Trojan Technologies
Fariborz Taghipour – University of British Columbia
Nick Volet – UV Medico, Aarhus University
Jan Winderlich – Excelitas
Sponsorship Opportunities Exhibition
We kindly invite you to consider sponsoring the event and/or participating in the exhibition.
Gold Sponsor
- Event Dinner Sponsor
- Table Top Exhibition
- Roll-up or Banner Placement
- Logo on Website, Conference Program, Advertisement
- Lanyard Sponsor (Lanyards to be provided by Sponsor)
- 3 x Free Participation
- 9,800 EUR (8,800 EUR for members)
SILVER Sponsor
- Coffee Break Sponsor
- Table Top Exhibition
- Roll-up or Banner Placement
- Logo on Website and Advertisement
- 2 x Free Participation
- 6,500 EUR (5,500 EUR for members)
Bronze Sponsor
- Logo on Website and Advertisement
- Roll-up or Banner Placement
- 1 x Free Participation
- 3,500 EUR (2,500 EUR for members)
-> If your company is interested in supporting the conference as a sponsor or would like to discuss customized opportunities, please feel free to contact the local organizers at any time at
thomas.neicke (at) advanced-uv (dot) de
We sincerely look forward to your participation and generous support.
Event Location
Berlin, Germany – City Center
The KARL STORZ visitor center, housed in the restored Empress Augusta Hospital, offers a modern venue, preserving historic charm while serving as a dialog platform.
Hotel Travel
Make sure to make your hotel booking early!
Travel by train or S-Bahn or U-Bahn:
Destination Berlin Hauptbahnhof; 10 min walking distance to KARL STORZ Event location
Travel by plane:
Berlin International Airport (BER), Overseas flights may be possible via Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC)
Registration (deadline April 14, 2026)
| Conference Fee | Fee | Register now |
|---|---|---|
Regular – (ends April 14, 2026)
| €780 | select |
Member Advanced UV for Life – (ends April 14)
| €650 | select |
Student – (ends April 14, 2026)
| €350 | select |
Notice to Sponsors regarding Registration
Gold and Silver Sponsors are kindly requested to apply the provided promo code during registration. The code will be sent to the sponsoring company by email (as the conference fee may already be covered by the sponsorship package) by the end of February at the latest.
A Unique Conference Covering the Full UV Value Chain
ICULTA spans the entire value chain of UV LED technology – from basic research and device development to system integration and commercial applications. The conference provides an in-depth look at:
Latest developments in UV LED technology
Design and performance of UV LED-based systems
Application of UV in industry and research
Topics include practical and emerging uses in water, air, and surface disinfection, as well as in medicine, hygiene, life sciences, curing, sensing, horticulture, analytics, and other forward-looking fields.
ICULTA spans the entire value chain of UV LED technology – from basic research and device development to system integration and commercial applications. The conference provides an in-depth look at:
Latest developments in UV solid-state technology
Design and performance of UV LED-based systems
Application of UV solid-state tech in industry and research
Topics include practical and emerging uses in water, air, and surface disinfection, as well as in medicine, hygiene, life sciences, curing, sensing, horticulture, analytics, and other forward-looking fields.
Why Attend ICULTA 2026?
We look forward to welcoming you to Berlin in April 2026! We invite researchers, engineers, technology providers, system integrators, and end-users to be part of this influential event.
Gain insights into the newest innovations and industry trends
Connect with international experts and decision-makers
Explore cross-disciplinary applications and collaboration opportunities
Contribute to shaping the future of UV LED technologies
Stay tuned for the official Call for Abstracts, registration details, and program updates here at advanced-uv.de/events/iculta-26/
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We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our sponsors. Their contribution plays a key role in making ICULTA 2026 possible and helps us bring together leading experts, researchers, and industry partners from around the world.
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Partners
