Thomas Juffmann earned his PhD at the University of Vienna, specializing in molecular quantum optics. During his postdoctoral research, he worked at Stanford University, USA, and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. In 2018, he established his interdisciplinary research group at the Max Perutz Labs, focusing on the development of advanced microscopy techniques for applications in the biological sciences.
The Juffmann lab is dedicated to optimizing the sensitivity of light and electron microscopes while extracting the maximum information from biological samples. To achieve this, the team employs quantum enhancements, wavefront shaping techniques, and cavity-based methods to refine interferometric imaging. Reflecting on a key milestone, Thomas shares: “One of our highlights since starting the lab in 2018 was the development of a programmable electron beam shaper which enables the adaptive optimization of electron microscopy for specific specimens.”
Looking ahead, Thomas is spearheading two major projects: “I am coordinating an international collaboration to develop a new microscopy technique for nanoscale, noninvasive imaging, now yielding data in plasmonics and electroplating applications. Additionally, with colleagues from Quantum Science Austria, we secured funding to study the interaction of electrons with ions in a trapped-ion quantum computer.” Full quantum control over this system would enable new microscopy schemes that increase sensitivity and thus reduce electron-beam induced damage.