A Comprehensive Overview of Integrated Phototherapy and Diagnostic Technologies
Based on Self-Assembled Nanomaterials
Pukyong National University (President Bae Sanghoon) announced on May 12 that Nguyen Thuy Kieu Van, a doctoral student in the Department of Convergence Bionics Engineering for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, recently published a review paper on fusion nanomaterials for cancer phototherapy in one of the world's top international chemistry journals (IF 20.6, JCR top 0.1%).
The paper, titled 'Self-assembled nanoprobes for cancer phototheranostics,' comprehensively covers the latest research trends and design strategies for self-assembled nanoprobes that are activated by stimuli in cancer tissues and enable both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) simultaneously.
In particular, the research focuses on the development of a diagnostic-therapeutic fusion platform combining fluorescence imaging (FI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). This technology is gaining attention as a core foundation for next-generation medical technologies that can enhance the precision of treatment and minimize side effects.
Nguyen Thuy Kieu Van conducted this joint research with Professor Songi Lee (Department of Chemistry) and Research Professor Sondavid Nandanwar (Industry-Academia Cooperation Group), achieving these results with support from the BK21 FOUR project and the Regional Leading Research Center (RLRC).
Nguyen Thuy Kieu Van, Sondavid Nandanwar Research Professor, Songi Lee Professor. Provided by Pukyong National University
This review paper summarizes cases in which various organic chromophore-based nanomaterials, such as BODIPY, porphyrin, and cyanine, are selectively activated under cancer tissue-specific conditions such as acidic environments, high glutathione concentrations, and hypoxic states, and demonstrate high reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity and photothermal conversion efficiency.
It also provides a comprehensive overview of recent trends such as aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophores and multimodal imaging fusion technologies, broadly suggesting their potential for future clinical applications.
Professor Songi Lee emphasized, "This research serves as a very important foundational resource for the development of diagnostic-therapeutic fusion technologies using self-assembled nanomaterials in the fields of next-generation precision medicine and smart healthcare," adding, "It is especially meaningful academically as it was led by a doctoral student."
Pukyong National University plans to actively pursue the development of smart nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as the commercialization of precision medical technologies in collaboration with industry and research institutes, based on these achievements.
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