Matjaž LUKAČ

Dr. Lukač has been pursuing a joint career in R&D and business management. During most of his career, he has been actively involved in the development of solid-state medical lasers in a high-tech company Fotona and the research of laser-tissue interactions at Institute Jožef Stefan, resulting in over 120 original scientific publications. Following the declaration of independence by Slovenia, dr. Lukac actively contributed as a member of the Slovenian Development Corporation’s management board to restructuring the Slovenian high tech industry. As the R&D manager and later as the president of the management board of Fotona, he has contributed to the rapid growth of this global medical laser company. Dr. Lukač is an inventor of over 15 international patent families in laser physics and laser medicine, has served as the president of Slovenian Engineering Academy, and as a member of the Council for Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia. He is currently also the president of Laser and Health Academy.

Dr. Lukač has been involved in the development of numerous medical devices and clinical protocols that are being used worldwide by medical professionals in the field of dermatology, dentistry, gynecology, urology, and surgery.

1979 Degree in physics, University of Ljubljana

1985 Master’s in laser physics, University of Ljubljana

1986 PhD in physics

1984–1988 Graduate student and postdoctor, University of California, Berkeley

1986 Research associate, Josef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana

1990–1997 R&D Manager and Director of Laser Division, Fotona, Ljubljana

1993 MBA, IEDC, Brdo pri Kranju

1997-2000 Executive board member, Slovenian Development Corporation, Ljubljana

2010 president, Slovenian Engineering Academy

2000- CEO, Fotona, Ljubljana

Important Works

Lukač M et al. (1989). Spin-spin cross relaxation and spin Hamiltonian spectroscopy by optical pumping of Pr+3. Phys Rev A (39).

Lukač M et al. (2019) Variable heat shock response model for medical laser procedures. Lasers Med Sci 34.

Lukač M et al. (2020) Characteristics of bubble oscillations during laser-activated irrigation of root canals and method of improvement. Lasers Surg Med.

Selected Awards

1983 Iskra’s Award for extraordinary achievements

1983 V. F. Lenzen Memorial Scholarship Award, University of California, Berkeley

1987Fulbright Scholarship