Pukyong National University Student Develops Next-Generation Photosensitive Nanomaterials for Cancer Treatment

Minsu Hong, Master's Student, Publishes in International Journal
"Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical"

Pukyong National University (President: Bae Sanghoon) announced on May 9 that a study on dual-functional photosensitive nanomaterials for cancer treatment, conducted by Minsu Hong, a master's student in the Department of Convergence Bionics Engineering for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, was recently published in a world-renowned international academic journal (JCR top 0.7%).

This research is the result of a collaborative study by Minsu Hong, who participated as the first author, Professor Songyi Lee (Department of Chemistry), Professor Sanggil Lee (Department of Food and Nutrition), and Professor Lei Cao (Institute of International Cooperation for Marine and Fisheries Development).

Research team (from left: Minsu Hong, master's student; Songyi Lee, professor; Sanggil Lee, professor; Lei Cao, professor). Courtesy of Pukyong National University

The research team aimed to develop a heavy-atom-free, dual-functional organic photosensitizer (PS) with excellent cancer cell killing efficacy even in hypoxic environments.

They designed and synthesized donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type photosensitizers based on a naphthalene diimide (NDI) structure, and succeeded in enhancing biocompatibility and tumor tissue penetration by manufacturing NDIP, which showed outstanding photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic efficacy, in the form of nanoparticles (NDIP NPs).

The developed 'NDIP NPs' demonstrated a higher total reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency and superior photothermal conversion efficiency compared to the conventional photosensitizer Rose Bengal.

Furthermore, 'NDIP NPs' proved their potential as next-generation dual-functional therapeutics by simultaneously achieving effective Type I ROS generation and photothermal effects under hypoxic tumor conditions, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). In cell experiments, 'NDIP NPs' induced high cytotoxicity and, notably, achieved a 75% cancer cell death rate even under hypoxic conditions, confirming their excellent therapeutic performance.

Professor Songyi Lee stated, "This research is a case of successful convergence study that demonstrated the potential of next-generation photosensitizer nanomaterials through collaboration among faculty in chemistry, food and nutrition, and marine and fisheries fields. In particular, achieving high efficiency without the use of traditional heavy metals has greatly increased the possibility of actual clinical application."

This study was supported by the Regional Leading Research Center (RLRC) of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the BK21 program (New Senior Customized Smart Healthcare Project Group), and is significant in that it presented a new direction for the development of heavy-atom-free photosensitizers for cancer treatment.