(*) Summary:  The aim of this talk is describing some applications of lasers in the life sciences and thermal lens spectroscopy. First, we present a simple procedure, based on Dynamic Speckle Interferometry. We have studied the relative degree of motility for microorganisms depending on the action of different kind of drugs. In the second part, a thermal lens model including the Soret effect is going to be presented. This generalized model allows the precise determination of the values of the Soret coefficient and the mass-diffusion coefficient in binary liquid mixtures such as ethanol/water and acetone/water.
 

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(**) Biodata: Dr. Humberto Cabrera received an M.Sc. (2002) in Physics at the ISPJAE in Cuba and the Ph.D. (2007) at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).  From 2003 to 2007 he worked on thermal lens spectroscopy for absorption coefficient measurements in liquids. Subsequently, he began to work at new Applied Optics Laboratory at IVIC in Merida State of which he is one of the founding members. In addition, he is the scientific leader of that Laboratory and Head of the Center (CEIF) at Merida State.
His present research interests are in the field of thermal lens spectroscopy, dynamic Speckle interferometry, and photodynamic therapy of skin cancer. He is the author, or co-author of about fourteen scientific papers published in international refereed journals.