About me

I am Raúl Urriza Arpal, a PhD candidate in Biophysics at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, where I am expected to complete my doctorate in 2027. My research lies at the intersection of optical engineering, biomedical imaging, and artificial intelligence, with a strong focus on developing novel diagnostic tools for eye health.

My academic path began at the University of Zaragoza, where I earned a B.S. in Optics and Optometry and later an M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering. During my final bachelor’s project, I worked in the TOL lab at the Faculty of Zaragoza, studying the viability of digital holography for measuring corneal topography. This research led to the opportunity to present my work at the OPTOM 2022 conference.

During my master’s studies, I was awarded first prize in the Afflelou Challenge, a competition recognizing excellence at the bachelor’s level, thanks to my work on the development of a telematic system for visual health in rural areas. This achievement also opened the door to my collaboration with the company, where I worked until 2024.

In 2024, I was awarded a prestigious MSCA grant at Nicolaus Copernicus University to join the BE-LIGHT project. Since then, I have been pursuing my PhD, focused on the measurement of the biomechanical properties of the cornea using optical coherence elastography.

This interdisciplinary background allows me to connect fundamental optics, biomedical technologies, and translational applications, from optical system design to advanced image analysis for clinical diagnostics.

Current research

I am currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD Fellow within the BE-LIGHT project, working under the supervision of Dr. Ireneusz Grulkowski. My research focuses on tomographic microvibrography of ocular structures - combining Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with an optical lock-in detection scheme to map the biomechanical properties of the cornea, lens, and sclera at high frequency. The goal is to produce high-resolution mechanical maps of ocular tissues, opening new avenues for early detection and personalized treatment of eye diseases.

Research groups

I am a member of the Bio-Optics & Optical Engineering Lab (BOEL) at the Institute of Physics of NCU, founded by Dr. Ireneusz Grulkowski in 2017. BOEL specializes in innovative eye imaging techniques applied to visual optics and ophthalmic diagnostics, translating knowledge from physical optics, biophotonics, and data processing into real clinical tools.

I also belong to BRIDGE, a priority research team within NCU’s Excellence Initiative focused on discovery, diagnostics, and therapy for healthcare. BRIDGE brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to accelerate translational science in the biomedical field.

BRIDGE research team at NCU — BRIDGE research team - Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń.

Background & expertise

With a foundation in Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Optometry, my expertise covers:

Optical interferometry - design and implementation of OCT and related interferometric systems for tissue analysis
Biomedical device development - building imaging instruments for ocular diagnostics
AI & machine learning - integration of intelligent algorithms for medical image analysis and biomechanical profiling
Software & tools - Python, MATLAB, Zemax, SolidWorks, and frontend/backend development

Before joining academia full-time, I worked as an Optician and Optometrist at AFFLELOU (Zaragoza, Spain), gaining hands-on clinical experience in vision correction, eye health prevention, and patient care. I also completed a research internship at Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (Barcelona), contributing to projects on Collagen VI and Retinoblastoma using confocal microscopy, STED, and Raman spectroscopy.

Contact

I am always open to scientific collaborations, discussions, or simply connecting with fellow researchers. Feel free to reach out through the contact page or find me on LinkedIn.