Translational Phototherapeutics Laboratory

Publications

1. Advancing treatment of degenerative eye diseases at the nanoscale. Smart Medicine (2026).
   Highlights nanotechnology-based strategies for more targeted, sustained, and effective treatment of degenerative eye diseases. DOI: 10.1002/smmd.70050

2. Dilating the aging clock with light. The Innovation (2026).
   Introduces a light-based approach to rapidly induce aging-like cellular phenotypes for accelerated aging research and disease modeling. DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101368

3. Photodynamic therapy management of canine mammary gland tumour with wireless upconversion implant. View (2025).
   Demonstrates wireless upconversion-enabled photodynamic therapy for treating mammary tumors in a clinically relevant canine model. DOI: 10.1002/viw.20250020

4. Nanothermometry for cellular temperature monitoring and disease diagnostics. Interdisciplinary Medicine, 2(2), e12096 (2024).
   Highlights nanoscale temperature sensing as a tool for cellular monitoring and disease diagnostics. DOI: 10.1002/inmd.12096

5. Nanothermometry for cellular temperature monitoring and disease diagnostics. Interdisciplinary Medicine, 2(2), e20230059 (2024).
   Presents precision nanothermometry approaches for probing cellular temperature changes with diagnostic potential. DOI: 10.1002/inmd.20230059

6. PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling transduction pathway and targeted therapies in cancer. Molecular Cancer, 22(1), 138 (2023).
   Provides a comprehensive overview of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and its therapeutic targeting across cancers. DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01827-6

7. SIRIUS, ultra-scintillating upconversion breast implant for remote orthotopic photodynamic therapy. ACS Nano, 17(12), 11593–11606 (2023).
   Develops an ultra-bright implantable platform that enables remotely activated photodynamic therapy in deep breast tumors. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01916

8. The global impact of COVID-19 on abortion care. Heliyon, 9(5), e16094 (2023).
   Defines the worldwide disruption of abortion access and reproductive healthcare caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16094

9. Biomimetic nanotherapeutics for targeted drug delivery to glioblastoma multiforme. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 8(3), e10483 (2023).
   Highlights biomimetic nanocarriers as a strategy for overcoming biological barriers and improving targeted glioblastoma therapy. DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10483

10. COVID-19, blood lipid changes, and thrombosis. Biomedicines, 11(4), 1181 (2023).
    Links COVID-19-associated lipid dysregulation with mechanisms contributing to thrombotic complications. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041181

11. Effects of mobile health interventions on health-related outcomes in older adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Diabetes, 15(1), 47–57 (2023).
    Shows that mobile health interventions can improve clinically relevant outcomes in older adults with type 2 diabetes. DOI: 10.1111/1753-0407.13346

12. Unraveling female reproductive senescence to enhance healthy longevity. Cell Research, 33(1), 11–29 (2023).
    Defines key mechanisms of female reproductive aging and their implications for extending reproductive health and healthy longevity. DOI: 10.1038/s41422-022-00718-7

13. Application of optogenetics for muscle cells and stem cells. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1293, 359–375 (2021).
    Highlights optogenetics as a precise, light-controlled platform for manipulating muscle and stem cell functions. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_23

14. A Flexi-PEGDA upconversion implant for wireless brain photodynamic therapy. Advanced Materials, 32(29), e2001459 (2020).
    Introduces a flexible upconversion implant that enables wireless photodynamic therapy within deep brain tissue. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001459

15. Driving neurogenesis in neural stem cells with high sensitivity optogenetics. Neuromolecular Medicine, 22(1), 139–149 (2020).
    Demonstrates highly sensitive optogenetic control of neural stem cell differentiation toward neuronal lineages. DOI: 10.1007/s12017-019-08573-3

16. Expanding the toolbox of upconversion nanoparticles for in vivo optogenetics and neuromodulation. Advanced Materials, 31(41), e1803474 (2019).
    Expands upconversion nanoparticle capabilities for minimally invasive in vivo optogenetic stimulation and neuromodulation. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201803474

17. Upconversion amplification through dielectric superlensing modulation. Nature Communications, 10, 1391 (2019).
    Demonstrates dielectric superlensing as an effective strategy for substantially amplifying upconversion luminescence. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09345-0

18. Fibro-neuronal guidance on common, 3D-printed textured substrates. IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience, 18(2), 226–229 (2019).
    Shows that readily fabricated 3D-printed surface topographies can direct neuronal and fibroblast organization. DOI: 10.1109/TNB.2019.2905469

19. Identifying glioblastoma margins using dual-targeted organic nanoparticles for efficient in vivo fluorescence image-guided photothermal therapy. Materials Horizons, 6(2), 311–317 (2019).
    Develops dual-targeted nanoparticles that simultaneously delineate glioblastoma margins and enable image-guided photothermal therapy. DOI: 10.1039/c8mh00946e

20. All-inorganic perovskite nanocrystal scintillators. Nature, 561(7721), 88–93 (2018).
    Establishes all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals as highly efficient scintillators for radiation detection and imaging. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0451-1

21. Neuroprotective assessment of prolonged local hypothermia post contusive spinal cord injury in rodent model. The Spine Journal, 18(3), 507–514 (2018).
    Demonstrates the neuroprotective potential of prolonged localized hypothermia following traumatic spinal cord injury. DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2017.10.066

22. Near-infrared deep brain stimulation via upconversion nanoparticle-mediated optogenetics. Science, 359(6376), 679–684 (2018).
    Establishes upconversion nanoparticles as a platform for minimally invasive near-infrared optogenetic stimulation of deep brain regions. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaq1144

23. Transcriptome analysis reveals neuroprotective aspects of human reactive astrocytes induced by interleukin 1β. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 13988 (2017).
    Identifies neuroprotective transcriptional programs in human reactive astrocytes following inflammatory stimulation. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13174-w

24. Binary temporal upconversion codes of Mn²⁺-activated nanoparticles for multilevel anti-counterfeiting. Nature Communications, 8, 899 (2017).
    Introduces temporally encoded upconversion nanoparticles for high-security, multilevel anti-counterfeiting applications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00916-7

25. Static magnetic field stimulation enhances oligodendrocyte differentiation and secretion of neurotrophic factors. Scientific Reports, 7, 6743 (2017).
    Demonstrates that static magnetic fields can promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and enhance neurotrophic factor secretion. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06331-8

26. Gold and hairpin DNA functionalization of upconversion nanocrystals for imaging and in vivo drug delivery. Advanced Materials, 29(18) (2017).
    Creates multifunctional upconversion nanocrystals integrating imaging, molecular recognition, and controlled in vivo drug delivery. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201700244

27. Real-time in vivo hepatotoxicity monitoring through chromophore-conjugated photon-upconverting nanoprobes. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 56(15), 4165–4169 (2017).
    Enables real-time, non-invasive monitoring of liver toxicity using responsive upconversion nanoprobes. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201612020

28. Direct conversion through trans-differentiation: Efficacy and safety. Stem Cells and Development, 26(3), 154–165 (2017).
    Evaluates the therapeutic potential and safety considerations of directly converting one somatic cell type into another. DOI: 10.1089/scd.2016.0174

29. Designing upconversion nanocrystals capable of 745 nm sensitization and 803 nm emission for deep-tissue imaging. Chemistry – A European Journal, 22(31), 10801–10807 (2016).
    Engineers near-infrared-to-near-infrared upconversion nanocrystals optimized for reduced-background deep-tissue imaging. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201602514

30. A review of induced pluripotent stem cell, direct conversion by trans-differentiation, direct reprogramming and oligodendrocyte differentiation. Regenerative Medicine, 11(2), 181–191 (2016).
    Integrates major cellular reprogramming strategies and their potential applications in regenerative medicine and neural repair. DOI: 10.2217/rme.16.5

31. Regulation of later neurogenic stages of adult-derived neural stem/progenitor cells by L-type Ca²⁺ channels. Development, Growth & Differentiation, 56(8), 583–594 (2014).
    Identifies L-type calcium channels as important regulators of later-stage neuronal differentiation in adult neural stem/progenitor cells. DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12158