Light-Responsive Hydrogels Safely Deliver Targeted Therapies

A research team at Texas A&M University is using nanomaterials that absorb near-infrared (NIR) light to develop and manipulate light-responsive hydrogels. The NIR light to which the nanomaterials respond in the research enables therapeutic hydrogels to form in the body. Their functions inside the body include targeted drug delivery, among other biomedical applications. NIR radiation penetrates tissue at a greater depth than ultraviolet (UV) and visible light wavelengths, and with minimal side effects, making it well suited for the application. In previous work published in Advanced Materials (www.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201702037), the researchers presented their investigation of certain polymers that can interact with...