Researchers Aim to Build Light-Controlled Tissue Scaffolds for Cell Regeneration

Researchers at Aarhus University are exploring a method of regenerating brain and heart cells using light. Their technique uses water-based nanofibers coated with organic photovoltaic nanomaterials to create light-controlled neural-stimulating scaffolds inside the body. In an example of the photovoltaic effect, the nanomaterials create an electrical voltage when they are exposed to light. When the coated nanofibers are injected into tissue and the tissue is exposed to sunlight or near-infrared (NIR) artificial light, some of the light will penetrate the tissue and fall on the photovoltaic nanomaterials, thereby converting the light to electricity. In contrast to optogenetics, this light-mediated approach is nongenetic and can...