Biophotonic (nano)structures: from fundamentals to emerging applications

 Biophotonics is a dynamic interdisciplinary field that merges biology, photonics, and optics to explore and manipulate biological systems through light. Its applications are particularly prominent in medical diagnostics, imaging, and therapy. Key uses of biophotonic (nano)structures include enhancing medical imaging and enabling biosensing to detect disease markers. In therapeutic contexts, these nanostructures show significant promise in photothermal and photodynamic therapies, improving imaging contrast and allowing for real-time monitoring of cellular processes. However, the field faces challenges such as fabrication complexities, scalability, biocompatibility, and integration with existing technologies.

For instance, limited biocompatibility can lead to adverse immune responses or toxicity, hindering their safe use in vivo, while scalability issues restrict the mass production of nanostructures with consistent quality, both of which are critical for clinical translation. Moreover, integrating these materials with existing medical devices or workflows often requires redesigning current platforms, slowing down adoption. Despite these obstacles, the future of biophotonics appears promising, especially with advancements in nanotechnology, including 3D printing and self-assembly, which could streamline production.

The potential integration of biophotonic nanostructures with emerging technologies like wearable devices and point-of-care diagnostics could revolutionize healthcare by facilitating continuous health monitoring and rapid disease detection. This review aims to provide a thorough examination of biophotonic nanostructures and their emerging applications in disease diagnosis, imaging, and therapy. Additionally, it will address the challenges and future directions of biophotonic research, enhancing our understanding of how these innovative technologies can tackle critical issues in modern medicine and deepen our knowledge of complex biological systems.

The purpose of this review is to explore the fundamentals, challenges, and future perspectives of biophotonic (nano)structures, highlighting their emerging applications and potential advancements.

Despite these advancements, several limitations remain in the development and application of biophotonic nanostructures. One major challenge is the scalability and cost-effectiveness of nanomaterial synthesis, particularly for clinical translation. Ensuring long-term biocompatibility and stability of biophotonic devices in complex biological environments is another critical issue. Indeed, the limited biocompatibility and biodegradability of these materials pose challenges for in vivo applications. Moreover, the integration of these devices into existing medical workflows requires standardized protocols and rigorous validation.35 Recent innovations in material science and device fabrication have addressed some of these challenges. For instance, researchers have explored naturally derived biomaterials, such as DNA, proteins, silk, and polysaccharides, which exhibit remarkable optical properties, biological compatibility, and degradability.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and riboflavin have been employed as gain media in biological lasers, while silk-based photonic structures have demonstrated potential for creating biocompatible optical devices.

The integration of biophotonic nanostructures with biological entities, such as cells, viruses, and tissues, has opened new avenues for designing hybrid systems.

These bio-inspired and biologically derived materials enable the construction of photonic devices that seamlessly interface with living systems, enhancing their functionality and adaptability for biomedical applications.

The development of self-assembled nanostructures and 3D-printed biocompatible materials has paved the way for scalable and customizable biophotonic devices. Hybrid systems that combine plasmonic NPs with responsive polymers offer tunable optical properties, enhancing their functionality for targeted diagnostics and therapy.

The aim of this review is to provide an overview about the recent advancements and emerging applications of biophotonic nanostructures via focusing on their applications in disease diagnosis, imaging, and therapy.

To this aim, the integration of biophotonic nanostructures in optoelectronics has been explored via highlighting their contributions to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photodetectors, and other photonic devices. Furthermore, the challenges associated with their design, synthesis, and clinical translation have been discussed, offering insights into potential future directions for this rapidly evolving field. By bridging the gap between photonics, biology, and materials science, biophotonic nanostructures hold immense potential for developing healthcare and advancing our understanding of complex biological systems. Through this review, we aim to highlight the transformative impact of these nanostructures on science and technology, emphasizing their role in addressing some of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine.


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SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, Announces Its 2026 Society Awards

SPIE Announces Its 2026 Society Awards — Recognizing Excellence Across Optics & Photonics

SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, has revealed the winners of its prestigious 2026 Society Awards, honoring outstanding contributors to research, engineering, education, and community leadership in light-based science and technology. These annual honors celebrate both technical breakthroughs and sustained service to the global optics and photonics community — reinforcing SPIE’s role as a key advocate for innovation in fields from biomedical imaging to astronomical instrumentation.

The SPIE Gold Medal, the Society’s highest accolade, was awarded to Maryellen Giger for her pioneering work in computer-aided diagnosis and image analysis, significant influence on clinical translation, and mentorship of emerging medical-imaging scientists. Other major awardees include leaders in optical fabrication, scientific publishing, advanced light sources, and diversity outreach — illustrating the breadth of impact across both academic and industrial sectors.

Among other notable recognitions:

• The SPIE President’s Award acknowledged visionary leadership and service to optics education.

• The SPIE Mozi Award highlighted innovation in light sources with broad applications.

• Honors in biomedical optics, optical metrology, diffractive optics, and lithography underscored contributions to both fundamental science and enabling technologies.

• Early career and diversity outreach awards emphasized the Society’s commitment to fostering future talent and inclusive participation.

SPIE’s awards complement the broader community’s recognition efforts: 40 new SPIE Fellows were inducted in 2026, signifying exceptional technical achievement and professional contribution across optics and photonics disciplines. These Fellows — selected from leading academic, industry, and government institutions worldwide — illustrate the Society’s global reach and interdisciplinary impact.

Broader SPIE Community Activities and Awards

The Society’s awards are part of a wider landscape of recognition within the optics and photonics field:

• SPIE Prism Awards: Finalists in the 2026 Prism Awards — which spotlight commercialized innovations in photonics — include technologies spanning biophotonic instruments, quantum tech, lasers, and sensors. Winners will be celebrated at SPIE Photonics West in January 2026, showcasing products that are transforming markets from medical devices to advanced imaging systems.

• SPIE Startup Challenge: Earlier announcement of finalists for the 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge highlights early-stage companies with investable optics and photonics technologies — a key platform for translating research into commercial impact.
  
  

  Why SPIE Awards Matter

  As one of the most influential professional societies in light-based sciences and engineering, SPIE’s annual awards bring visibility to high-impact research, promote collaboration between academia and industry, and help shape the future of technologies driven by optics and photonics — from healthcare and manufacturing to communications and environmental sensing. Recognition by SPIE often reflects not only scientific excellence but also sustained commitment to community building and mentorship across generations of researchers and professionals.
  
  
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Clinical advantages of biophotonics

 Biophotonics is a branch of science dealing with the interaction of light in biological substances such as tissues and cells at scales ranging from microns to the nano-level. It plays a vital role in the development of healthcare services by lowering the costs of treatment, with a suitable methodology for treatment of people in the aging society. Biophotonics consists of optics, photonics, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.Clinical biophotonics are also termed as therapeutic biophotonics, because the whole process deals only with therapeutic measures to treat diseases and to alter the biological processes using high energized optical radiations.

Clinical advantages of biophotonics

Precision

Instruments like laser scanning systems, optical coherence tomography, and laser polarimetry are used to acquire precise knowledge of retinal tissues and vessels.   

Photo-ablation

The photo-ablation effect of lasers is helpful in the process of laser osteotomy. This property of lasers can be used to perform operations that cause less damage to the internal and surrounding tissues and also provide good control on the depth of cut.

Sensor controlled laser systems:

Sensor controlled laser systems play a major role in the field of clinical treatments. They are involved in investigational tests of living tissues in animals and humans. Sensor combined laser sources are also used in treatment of malignant tissues in order to perform specific excision of the infected tissue in an efficient and safe way. This method is also used for removal of tumor tissues and intraluminal calculi.

Reduced treatments and time

The use of laser has the benefit of radiation transportation. Incident radiation from a laser source can be transferred using thin flexible optical fibers into the body endoscopically via natural body openings and small surgical cuts. Hence, the process of conventional surgery that requires larger incisions is replaced by laser endoscopic surgery to reduce the patient’s surgical pain. The time required for potential surgical treatment is reduced to a level equal to the time spent on treatment of outpatients.

Clinical applications of biophotonics

Laser processing of tissues

Laser tissue processing methods such as incision, coagulation, and excision follow various laser–tissue interaction procedures. These are involved as clinical measures in various medical fields such as ophthalmology, gynecology, urology, dentistry, and surgery of ear, nose, and throat. Intense control over the laser systems enhance the performance of treatments with high precision and also help to avoid harmful effects to the nearby tissues.

Nowadays, laser treatments are mainly opted for because the incision and excision process takes place at very high temperature and, therefore, the tiny blood vessels and slits in the nerve-endings get solidified and lead to reduced loss of blood and surgical trauma.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)

Photodynamic therapy is one of the major applications of biophotonics. PDT consists of three components: photosensitizer (light sensitive chemical that can be energized by light of a specific wavelength), light source, and tissue oxygen. In this treatment, patients are given a photosensitizer chemical and then the excitation light is irradiated on them by the surgeon.

Various diseases that are treated with PDT are as follows:

• Non-malignant diseases such as ophthalmic disease, cardiovascular disease, dermatological disease, and urological disease.
• Malignant diseases such as brain tumor, head and neck cancer, ophthalmic tumor, pulmonary and pleural mesothelial cancer, breast cancer, gastroenterological cancer, urological cancer, gynecological cancer, and skin pre-malignant and malignant diseases.
• Oral problems

Refractive cataract surgery

Femtosecond laser (FSL) cataract surgery is a recent technique developed in the field of ophthalmology with improved stability and predictableness in corneal incisions and anterior capsulorhexis. It involves the use of excimer and femtosecond lasers for treatment of refractive errors. It allows successively less phacoemulsification energy and time required, which results in reduced corneal edema. FSL allows complexity of the anterior capsulotomy, intraocular lens (IOL) placement, capsule overlap, and centration of the IOL. Further advancement in these methods will enhance the treatment of myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism.

Opto-mechanical stimulation

Artificial vision in humans can be achieved by opto-mechanical stimulation that provides vision for patients with ocular blindness. In this process, optical chips are embedded in the sub-retinal space that permits supplementation of the ocular path. Future developments in this process include stimulation of the optical cortex with electrical signals from video systems that can replace the working of the eyes and provide artificial vision.

Near-infrared (NIR) phototherapy

This process involves clinical treatment using light with wavelength near or equal to the infrared light in the spectrum band. NIR radiation enables wound healing, supports muscle repair, and promotes angiogenesis. It is employed in various conditions such as skin ulcers, osteoarthritis, peripheral nerve injury, low back pain, myocardial infarction, and stem cell induction. Light emitting diodes (LED) can reduce pain and stimulate wound healing in patients who have undergone bone marrow transplantation.

Research on clinical biophotonics is heavily focused on invention of more efficient drugs that enable far/near infrared wavelength activation, so that increased volumes can be treated under surface illumination.

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Dogs' noses decoded: Optical sensor unveils canine brain's olfactory prowess

 A pioneering study investigating the brain activity of dogs during scent detection has unveiled crucial insights into their remarkable olfactory capabilities. Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have developed an optical sensor capable of remote sensing dogs' brain activity in three key regions—the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, and amygdala—that play a critical role in how dogs distinguish between different smells. This breakthrough could lead to the development of a compact, non-invasive device capable of interpreting and translating a dog's olfactory perceptions for human understanding.

In the study published in the Journal of Biophotonics, scientists employed a cutting-edge detection structure system using laser technology and a high-resolution camera to capture brain activity in real-time from four dog breeds.

These dogs were exposed to four distinct scent stimuli—garlic, menthol, alcohol, and marijuana. The data were then analyzed using a machine-learning algorithm revealing that the amygdala plays a significant role in scent differentiation, highlighting the emotional and memory-related aspects of odor processing.

"The findings show that the amygdala is crucial in the way dogs process and react to odors, with specific scents triggering distinct emotional and memory responses, and we are capable of optically detecting their brain activity in this region," said Prof. Zeev Zalevsky, from the Kofkin Faculty of Engineering at Bar-Ilan University. "This discovery could be the first step toward creating a device that enables us to better understand and interpret the unique way dogs perceive and differentiate smells."

The study introduces an innovative method of brain activity analysis through laser-based speckle pattern detection, a remote, non-invasive technique that has never been applied to canine brain activity. Unlike traditional methods such as fMRI or EEG, this approach allows researchers to observe brain responses without requiring the dog to be sedated or confined to bulky equipment. This opens up new possibilities for studying dogs in real-world environments, making the technique both affordable and accessible for further research.

Dogs have long been celebrated for their exceptional sense of smell, and this research further illuminates the advanced processes that occur in their brains when detecting odors. With an olfactory system far more developed than humans, dogs can detect a broader range of odors, with specialized receptors in their noses that allow them to process and distinguish even the faintest scents.

This new research offers a glimpse into the intricate workings of the canine brain as it processes different smells, presenting a promising avenue for future applications in areas such as drug detection, medical diagnostics, and search-and-rescue missions.

"Our next step is to develop a portable, Wi-Fi-controlled device equipped with a mini camera and laser system, which could be mounted on a dog's head and used to monitor its olfactory responses in real time," said Dr. Yafim Beiderman from Prof. Zalevsky's Optical Research Lab at Bar-Ilan University.

"This could significantly enhance the way dogs are used in scent detection, from detecting illegal substances to diagnosing diseases in humans, all while deepening our understanding of how they perceive the world around them. More importantly, this real-time sensing could bypass the need to train dogs to utilize their scent abilities."

The implications of this research could also revolutionize the way dogs are utilized in law enforcement, health care, and beyond. As dogs continue to be invaluable partners in scent detection, this device could provide a means of translating their highly specialized abilities into data that is useful for humans, fostering a stronger connection between the two species.

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What Is Biophoton Emission, The ‘Hidden Glow’ In Human Body That Marks Life And Death

 US researchers have done an experiment and, in a development, understood that the human body emits faint visible light that fades away gradually as the person approaches death. According to a discovery published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, this phenomenon is called ultraweak photon emission (UPE) or biophoton emission.

All living organisms, including humans, mice and plants, emit an ultra-weak light that disappears upon death, says the study conducted by researchers from the University of Calgary and the National Research Council of Canada.

A report by Science Alert highlighted the research findings, as per which the light-emitting phenomenon revealed here is known as ultraweak photon emission (UPE) or biophoton emission.

The study suggests that all living organisms on the face of the earth subtly glow during their life span before their glow fades as they die. Biophotons are faint light particles emitted by living cells as a consequence of metabolic processes, which involve the reactive oxygen species (ROS).

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Raman and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

 This article explores a tandem approach to spectroscopy that integrates Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Raman spectroscopy—can be a one-laser tag-team match, but it can also be done through data fusion with separate analytical instrumentation and several related strategies in between. In the first setup, a Nd:YAG laser (commonly operating at 532?nm) is ingeniously adapted to first deliver a high-energy pulse to create a tiny plasma for LIBS, revealing the elemental makeup of the sample. Then, either through energy modulation or beam splitting with precise timing, the same laser provides a gentler touch to excite Raman scattering, capturing the molecular fingerprint of the material.

 Complementary detection systems are employed: a fast, broadband detector (like a gated ICCD) picks up the brief but brilliant LIBS emission, while a high-resolution spectrograph with a cooled CCD zeroes in on the subtle vibrational features in the Raman spectrum. This dual-use strategy not only streamlines the instrumentation but also offers practical benefits for field and space exploration, proving that sometimes, one laser really can do double duty—with a little creativity and some well-timed pulses. When co-located Raman and LIBS spots are not needed – i.e. the sample is homogeneous - a similar approach is available through data fusion This article explores the use of Raman and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) data in tandem. These two laser-derived analyses are naturally complimentary: Raman collects information about the molecular bonds within a sample, and LIBS provides an elemental analysis. There are a wide array of potential approaches to this combination, but all of them have in common that the same sample volume is interrogated and that because of the destructive nature of the LIBS analysis, the Raman measurement comes first. This article will explore the two chief ways that these analyses are combined: with two lasers on the same optical path, and two separated detection methods, and then the more complicated case where the same laser and spectrometers are employed. The mechanically simpler data fusion method is also discussed. The principal targets for these tandem analyses in the literature are geological and materials science, but a notable biomedical analysis are included. The reviewed applications are described in some detail, with emphasis LIBS and Raman together giving a very high rate of correct classification of samples from melanoma tissues to mineral type."

NIR Spectroscopy

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) affect one in three people with diabetes mellitus, with over 10% of the cases resulting in amputations. Despite being subjective, visual assessment is the gold standard used by clinicians to monitor the healing progression of wounds. Current smartphone technologies for wound care are limited to 2D/3D wound image analysis for size/depth. We developed a smartphone-based near-infrared spectroscopic (NIRS) imaging approach or SmartPhone Oxygenation Tool (SPOT) to obtain visual and physiological measurements of tissue oxygenation in wounds. Oxygen supply to wounds is a vital factor for healing. Tissue oxygenation measurements provide a sub-clinical physiological assessment to complement clinical visual assessment. SPOT was validated via phantom and in-vivo imaging studies, and it could differentiate high-risk from low-risk DFUs with 100% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Clinical studies on DFUs also demonstrated the ability of SPOT to be used as an image-guided debridement tool, apart from assessing the healing potential of the wounds. Currently, studies are ongoing to account for skin color variations (from melanin concentrations) and tissue curvatures of the diabetic foot during NIRS imaging using SPOT.

Hyperspectral Imaging

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) holds much promise as it matures into an affordable technology. The fusion of photographic/imaging methods that spatially resolve the distribution of light energy passing through an opening with methods that spectrally resolve it will augment human perception by orders of magnitude. HSI will also increase data generation, transmission, processing, and storage requirements by orders of magnitude, while effectively reducing photonic throughput. These constraints will affect the usability of photonic instruments in challenging use-cases such as those encountered in emergency medicine. In this article, I discuss why the application of spectral imaging to real-world problems may need to incorporate, at least in the near future, adaptations found in animal visual systems to optimally balance speed/latency, detail/resolution, and bandwidth/processing power.

Fluorescence Microscopy and Microfluidics

The integration of fluorescence microscopy and microfluidics with a high-resolution and very wide field of view in a single system has revolutionized biological research by combining high-resolution imaging with precise environmental control in a compact, cost-effective platform. This innovative system enables researchers to explore intricate biological processes in greater detail, driving significant discoveries across fields such as molecular biology, neuroscience, and cell biology. By offering a broad field of view alongside high resolution, the combined system captures extensive data in a single recording - eliminating the need for multiple acquisitions or image stitching. Its applications, including neurosettes, C. elegans studies, and the Mother Machine, demonstrate its capacity for high-throughput experiments, allowing simultaneous monitoring of hundreds of cells with fine detail. With an intuitive interface, modular light design, and integrated microfluidic pumps, the system makes advanced experimentation more accessible, unlocking new possibilities for biological research.

Advancements of Quantum Sensing

Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) have long been used to measure the weak magnetic fields produced by the human body, including magnetocardiography (MCG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Though SQUIDs are commonly used in research, they have restricted value for medical diagnostics due to the need for cooling, shielded rooms, and specialized electronics. In recent years, new types of optically-probed quantum sensors have emerged that provide similar performance to SQUIDs, but with fewer practical restrictions, opening up wide-ranging opportunities in biology and medicine. However, there are gaps within the quantum ecosystem to fuel these advances, including technical, funding, and commercialization challenges. This article outlines the promise of optically-probed quantum sensors for biomagnetism research and medical diagnostics, and efforts to commercialize these sensors.

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IR Spectroscopy Could Diagnose Lung Cancer with Blood Sample

 Using FTIR spectral data, the researchers identified a single CTC based on biochemical composition, specifically within the fingerprint region (1800 cm^-1 to 1350 cm cm^-1). The researchers used immunohistochemistry to confirm that FTIR, used with a random forest classifier, reliably detected a single CTC in the blood of a lung cancer patient.

“Our team was able to detect a single lung cancer cell in a patient’s blood by combining advanced infrared scanning technology with computer analysis, focusing on the unique chemical fingerprint of cancer cells,” Sulé-Suso said.

FTIR microspectroscopy is a label-free approach to sample analysis. It does not rely on predefined surface markers or cell morphology. According to the researchers, it is more reliable than existing CTC isolation methods, which sometimes miss cancer cells completely, as the cells often change their characteristics while circulating in the blood.FTIR microsprectroscopy uses standard glass slides, just like those routinely used in pathology labs, to prepare blood samples. This makes the technique easy to integrate into everyday clinical practices, and more affordable for labs than specialized, IR-transparent substrates.

By enhancing precision and accessibility in CTC identification, FTIR microspectroscopy has the potential to redefine the techniques used for cancer diagnostics. Although further validation in larger, multi-cancer patient cohorts is required, the initial findings show that cancer diagnostics, and possibly treatment monitoring, can be performed successfully through blood-based testing with FTIR microspectroscopy.

“Contributing to research with the potential to transform early cancer detection is both a professional privilege and a deeply personal motivation,” professor Paul Roach said. “Professionally, it offers the chance to translate fundamental spectroscopy into meaningful medical impact. Personally, it resonates strongly: cancer has affected my own family and claimed the lives of friends, and helping to expand the tools available to fight this disease gives me a powerful sense of purpose.”

The team plans to test FTIR microspectroscopy in larger patient groups, with the goal of developing a rapid, automated blood test that can be integrated into NHS cancer care pathways.

The team welcomes collaborations with clinical, healthcare, and industry colleagues to support the validation, refinement, and eventual adoption of FTIR-based diagnostic tools. It is also interested in working with research groups that are developing analytical technologies, data interrogation methods, or advanced computational tools, all of which play an important role in accelerating cancer diagnostics and treatments.

“The possibility that our work could one day influence clinical practice, reduce diagnostic delays, and improve patient outcomes is a constant driving force behind this research,” Roach said.

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