Skin cancer causes over 36,000 deaths in the EU every year and costs around €9 billion in healthcare and indirect costs. The THz-Skin Pathfinder Open project, starting 1 February 2026 and running for four years, aims to make early detection faster, safer, and more accessible. The project will develop a non-invasive, label-free diagnostic platform enabling real-time, zero-radiation screening without expensive equipment or specialist intervention.
The conceptual breakthrough of the project is to use the body’s natural thermal emission to detect cancer spectral fingerprints in the terahertz (THz) range. The concept was made possible by recent project h-cube, implemented as ATTRACT Phase II program that resulted in development of highly sensitive broad and narrow band bolometers providing THz detectors with an unprecedented combination of fast response and sensitivity. These sensitive detectors will be building blocks for Multifrequency Pixels (MFPs) miniaturized, low-cost sensors enabling hyperspectral imaging in the 3–25 THz. Diagnostics will be based on a growing open-access spectral fingerprint library and AI diagnostics to detect subcutaneous cancer signatures.
The project funded by the European Commission is implemented by consortium of academic and industrial partners from Italy, Lithuania, the UK, Finland, and Switzerland. The kick-off meeting will take place in Joensuu on 12 February 2026, marking the start of this ambitious collaborative effort.
UEF will serve as the main driving force behind the design, development and fabrication of advanced metasurfaces that enable devices to be selectively sensitive to specific frequencies corresponding to the terahertz spectroscopic fingerprints of skin cancer and other pathological skin conditions.
“In addition, we will lead the analysis of the THz fingerprint library generated within the project, applying machine-learning techniques to extract meaningful patterns and support accurate diagnosis,” says Professor Polina Kuzhir.
"THz-Skin Pathfinder Open promises to revolutionize skin cancer diagnostics, enabling widespread screening, earlier treatment, and better patient outcomes across Europe. Successful implementation of the THz-skin project will enable simple-to-use diagnostic equipment available in a primary-care environment", says Dr Georgy Fedorov.
The project is implemented by a European consortium of academic and industrial partners from Italy, Lithuania, the UK, Finland and Switzerland. The kick-off meeting will take place in Joensuu on 12 February 2026, marking the start of this ambitious collaborative effort.
THz-Skin Pathfinder Open promises to revolutionise skin cancer diagnostics, enabling widespread screening, earlier treatment and better patient outcomes across Europe.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Polina Kuzhir, tel. +358 50 566 6624, [email protected]
Dr Georgy Fedorov, tel. +358 50 441 9245, [email protected]
