Octopus-Inspired Micro-LEDs Designed for Cancer Therapy

 DAEJEON, South Korea,— Researchers at KAIST and UNIST developed an implantable, shape-morphing 3D micro-LED device capable of effectively delivering light to deep tissues. The technology, designed for pancreatic cancer treatments, has a flexible, octopus-inspired architecture, allowing it to wrap around the entire pancreatic tumor. The device delivers light to the tumor, despite the tumor’s physiological expansion or contraction, enabling continuous, low-intensity photostimulation that precisely targets cancer cells while preserving normal tissue.

Traditional pancreatic cancer treatments struggle due to the dense tumor microenvironment. This biological barrier surrounds the tumor, severely impeding the infiltration of chemotherapy agents and immune cells.

While photodynamic therapy has offered a promising alternative, existing internal light sources, such as lasers, fail to penetrate deep tissues effectively and pose risks of thermal damage and inflammation to healthy organs.

Within in vivo mouse testing, the developed device successfully demonstrated remarkable therapeutic effectiveness. Within three days, the tumor fibrous tissue was reduced by 64% and the pancreatic tissue successfully reverted to normal tissue, overcoming the limitations of conventional photodynamic therapy.

Professor Tae-Hyuk Kwon from UNIST said, "While phototherapy is effective for selective cancer treatment, conventional technologies have been limited by the challenges of delivering light to deep tissues and developing suitable photosensitizers." According to Kwon, the team now aims to build on the work to expand immune-based therapeutic strategies for intractable cancers.

phototherapy

Phototherapy is a medical treatment that involves the use of light to treat various conditions, particularly those related to the skin or mood disorders. There are different types of phototherapies, each tailored to address specific conditions: UV phototherapy: This form of phototherapy utilizes ultraviolet (UV) light to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and certain types of dermatitis. UV radiation can suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation, leading to...

micro-led

Micro-LED (micro-light-emitting diode) refers to a technology that involves the use of very small light-emitting diodes to create displays and lighting systems. These LEDs are miniature versions of traditional LEDs, typically on the order of micrometers in size. Micro-LED displays offer several advantages over other display technologies, including improved brightness, energy efficiency, and the potential for high resolution. Here are key characteristics and features of micro-LED technology: ...

photodynamic therapy

A medical technology that uses lasers or other light sources in combination with photosensitizing drugs to treat cancerous tumors.


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3D-Printed Lenses Deliver High Resolution and Customizability at Low Cost

 GLASGOW, Scotland, Jan. 21, 2026 — Using consumer-grade 3D printers, researchers at the University of Strathclyde produced high-quality, low-cost optical lenses for superresolution microscopy. When they compared the performance of the 3D-printed optics with that of commercial lenses, the results were similar.

The ability to 3D-print high-grade optics could make high-resolution microscopy and other optical applications more accessible to individual scientists and scientific organizations. It could also provide an inexpensive way to develop fully customized optical imaging systems for research and industry.

In earlier work, the researchers fabricated a fully 3D-printed microscope using a consumer-grade printer. In their current work, they focused on the design and manufacture of a custom, 3D-printed hexagonal (i.e., honeycomb) lenslet array and the integration of this optic into a small, custom, multifocal structured illumination microscopy system (mSIM) for fluorescence imaging.

To achieve an optical surface as smooth as a commercial lens, the researchers created a silicone mold and cast the 3D-printable lens in ultraviolet- (UV)-curable resin. To minimize undesirable effects from diffraction, they developed a method to reduce the optical scattering caused by the layer-by-layer printing process.

The team compared its 3D-printed, honeycomb array to two commercial lenslet arrays — a high-end array with a 250 µm lenslet diameter, and a budget array with a 1 millimeter (mm) by 1.4 mm lenslet footprint. The researchers benchmarked the imaging performance of these optics by quantifying the beam profile homogeneity and the experimental lateral resolution. They used a custom mSIM setup for the benchmarking process.

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde demonstrated a new method for producing high-quality optical lenses for superresolution microscopy using low-cost, consumer-grade 3D printers. Courtesy of the University of Strathclyde.


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Bright Spot: The Biophotonics Center Shines Light on the Intersection of Physics, Engineering and Medicine

Tucked away on a service road between the edge of Vanderbilt’s main campus and Vanderbilt University Medical Center sits a brick building so intentionally nondescript, other than its tall façade of darkened glass, that it practically screams “mystery” to casual passersby. The intrigue only deepens as you read the sign outside: “W.M. Keck Free Electron Laser (FEL) Center.”

Despite the foreboding exterior, inside is a state-of-the-art laser laboratory that serves as a kind of hub of cross-disciplinary research at Vanderbilt. Forty faculty members from across the university and VUMC—working on topics ranging from astrophysics to cancer treatments—have an affiliation with what is now known as the Biophotonics Center. Led by Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, the Orrin H. Ingram Professor of Biomedical Engineering and professor of neurological surgery, the center also provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on experience at one of the world’s leading optics facilities.

The center’s origins trace back to a U.S. Department of Defense grant from the 1980s exploring the use of lasers to treat combat wounds. Then, as now, the center offered an ideal location for such work, situated midway between physics and engineering research labs on one side and patient rooms at VUMC on the other. Similar government-funded facilities were built around the same time at Stanford, Duke, Harvard, and the University of California–Irvine. However, military funding for the program ended in 2007, and Vanderbilt’s Free Electron Laser center closed a year later as a result.

Then last February, the 5,000-square-foot center officially reopened after an extensive renovation. Ongoing research there covers three main areas: cancer treatment and detection, neurosurgery, and nanotechnology. “The Biophotonics Center is aimed at fundamental research and discovery, as well as improving patient care,” Mahadevan-Jansen says. Current funding for biophotonics research at Vanderbilt totals nearly $25 million.

In this photo essay, Vanderbilt Magazine takes a peek inside the Biophotonics Center and some of the work now being done based on research there.

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Red light can reduce blood glucose levels

The researchers found that 670 nm red light stimulated energy production within mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses within cells, leading to increased consumption of glucose. In particular, it led to a 27.7% reduction in blood glucose levels following glucose intake, and it reduced maximum glucose spiking by 7.5%.

While the study was conducted in healthy individuals, the non-invasive, non-pharmacological technique has the potential to have an impact on diabetes control after meals, as it can reduce damaging fluctuations of blood glucose in the body that contribute to ageing.

The study also highlights the significant long-term consequences for human health, including the potential dysregulation of blood sugars posed by lengthy exposure to blue light. Given the prominence of LED lighting in modern technology and environments, and the fact that LEDs emit towards the blue end of the spectrum with very little red, the authors suggest that this may be a potential public health issue. The research has been published in the Journal of Biophotonics.

Mitochondria provide energy for vital cellular processes, using oxygen and glucose to produce the energy-rich nucleoside adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Previous research has established that long wavelength light between approximately 650-900 nm (spanning the visible through to the near-infrared range) can increase mitochondrial production of ATP which reduces blood glucose and also improves health/lifespan in animals. 

The authors Dr Michael Powner, Senior Lecturer in Neurobiology in the School of Health and Psychological Sciences at City, and Professor Glen Jeffery, Professor of Neuroscience in the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, also say that this improvement in ATP production can cause signalling changes that are transmitted throughout the body.

They suggest that it may be mediating the abscopal effect, which refers to the phenomenon in cancer treatment where specific irradiation of a primary tumour can result in shrinkage of secondary tumours located in a different part of the body. Likewise, 670 nm light shone selectively on to the backs of mice in previous studies has been shown to result in improvements in ATP that improve symptoms in both a model of Parkinson’s disease and a model of diabetic retinopathy.

To explore the impact of 670 nm red light on blood glucose, the researchers recruited 30 healthy participants, who were then randomised into two groups: 15 in the 670 nm red light group, and 15 in the placebo (no light) group. They had no known metabolic conditions (such as diabetes) and were not taking medication.

Participants were then asked to do an oral glucose tolerance test (drinking glucose dissolved in water) and record their blood glucose levels every 15 minutes over the next two hours. People who received red light exposure 45 minutes prior to drinking glucose exhibited a reduced peak blood glucose level and reduced total blood glucose during the two hours.

Dr Powner, who was the lead author of the study, said: “It is clear that light affects the way mitochondria function and this impacts our bodies at a cellular and physiological level. Our study has shown that we can use a single, 15-minute exposure to red light to reduce blood sugar levels after eating.

“While this has only been done in healthy individuals in this paper, it has the potential to impact diabetes control going forward, as it could help to reduce potentially damaging glucose spikes in the body after meals.”

Professor Jeffery said: “Sunlight has a balance between red and blue, but we now live in a world where blue light is dominant because although we do not see it, LED lights are dominant in blue and have almost no red in them. This reduces mitochondrial function and ATP production. Hence our internal environments are red-starved. Long-term exposure to blue light is potentially toxic without red. Blue light on its own impacts badly on physiology and can drive disrupted blood sugars that may in the long run contribute to diabetes and undermine health spans.

“Pre-1990, we all had incandescent lighting which was OK because it had the balance of blue and red similar to sunlight, but there is a potential health span time bomb in the change to LEDs in an ageing population. This can partly be corrected by spending more time in sunlight.”


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Biophotonics Market Size & Share Report, 2025 - 2034

 Biophotonics Market Size

The global biophotonics market size was valued at USD 76.1 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at CAGR of 11.3% to reach USD 220.1 billion by 2034. Rising technological innovation in the medical sector coupled with the rapid emergence of nanotechnology are the major factors contributing to the growth of the market.

As nanotechnology enables unprecedented control over light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, which helps in improving the performance of diagnostic and therapeutic tools its rapid emergence is the key factor driving the biophotonic market. For instance, according to GMI analysis the global nanotechnology in medical devices market size was valued at USD 4.7 billion in 2024 and is expected grow at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2025 to 2034. By employing nanomaterials including metallic nanoparticles and quantum dots, biophotonic devices enable higher sensitivity and specificity for sensing biomarkers as well as for tissue imaging. All this is resulting in detection at earlier disease stages and also with more specific treatments.

The global aging demographic is creating a significant opportunity for the biophotonics market. As per the WHO data world's population over 60 years will double from 12% to 22% between 2015-2050. Moreover, according to WHO  1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over by 2030. As aging consumers become more in need of advanced diagnostic and monitoring products, companies stand to meet a rising demand for non-invasive, high-accuracy healthcare products. By targeting age-related diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease, companies can benefit from a strong market segment that requires ongoing innovation and enhanced patient care.
Lifestyle diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disorders, are on the rise, creating a substantial market push for advanced biophotonic solutions. For instance, according to WHO Diabetes and kidney disease caused over 2 million deaths and around 11% of cardiovascular deaths were caused by high blood glucose in 2021. These conditions call for proactive management by early diagnosis and routine monitoring services that biophotonic technologies are capable of providing.

Manufacturers should incorporate nanotechnology into biophotonic devices to increase diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy, in order to meeting the growing needs for cutting-edge medical technologies. Moreover, they should focus on developing technologies which facilitate early detection and monitoring of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, to tap rising market segments.

Biophotonics Market Trends

• Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in biophotonics industry is on the rise. These technologies helps in optimizing processes related to imaging data interpretation which enables quicker and more reliable diagnoses. AI-driven biophotonics techniques such as Raman spectroscopy integrated with machine learning have shown great success in the recent studies. For example, in 2024, University of Edinburgh researchers were able to detect early breast cancer with a 98% accuracy. This system identified tiny chemical changes present in blood tests that other methods fail to consider.
   
• The biophotonics sector is noticing transformative advancements, particularly with the development of non-invasive imaging techniques that significantly enhance both life science research and patient care. A prime example is the advent of near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging, which offers deeper tissue penetration and higher resolution compared to earlier imaging modalities. This technology has become instrumental in cancer surgeries by facilitating precise tumour localization and delineation of tumour margins, thereby improving surgical accuracy and patient outcomes. Apart from oncology, NIR-II fluorescence imaging broadens the scope of its application in various fields of medicine such as enhancing anatomical mapping and complex biological structure visualization. The incorporation of NIR-II fluorescence imaging into clinical practice highlights the need for advancing biophotonic technologies, which offers abundant prospects for healthcare innovation and investment.
   
• Biophotonics industry is also aided by a rise in strategic partnerships and research expenditure within industry, academia, and government laboratories. For example, in November 2023, at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) annual meeting, ZEISS Group revealed cutting-edge imaging technology that encompasses next-generation fluorescence microscopy methods These technologies allow scientists to visualize cellular structures and processes at higher clarity and precision than ever before. Some of these innovations are improved resolution capability and increased imaging speed, which are essential to image dynamic biological processes in real time. Such collaborations are instrumental in driving technological advancement and shortening time-to-market for emerging diagnostic technology. Joint collaborations are helping bring together resources, reduce expenses, and reducing the risks involved with new product creation. This is not only leading to ongoing innovation in biophotonic technology but enhancing overall firm competitiveness for companies that are operating within this dynamic marketplace.
   Based on technology, the market is divided into In-Vitro and In-Vivo.

   

  • The In-Vitro market is growing at the significant rate and is expected to reach the market size of USD 89.6 billion in 2034. Advancements in diagnostic and analytical technologies is the major factor responsible for growth in the segment. Integration of automation and AI-based analysis in in-vitro platforms enables to streamline workflows, reduced error rates, and optimized laboratory operations which is the major factor contributing to the segment growth. Moreover, increasing demand for early disease detection and personalized medicine is also expected to boost the market.
     
  • The In-Vivo market held the largest share of 57 % in the year 2024 and is expected to continue its domination till the forecast period. Technological advancements, especially in the field of optical imaging and laser diagnostics, have greatly enhanced the accuracy and safety of such treatments. This has resulted in higher clinical uptake for uses like cancer detection at early stages, supported surgeries, and tracking of physiological processes which is driving the market.

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Optical Filter Orientation Dictates System Effectiveness

When integrating an optical filter into the design of an optical system, it is vital to understand the angle of incidence (AOI) and cone half angle (CHA) requirements on the filters to optimize functionality for a wide variety of life sciences and biomedical research applications. The larger the deviation from the designed AOI, the greater the peak wavelength shift and the overall transmission drop.

Increasing the AOI blue shifts the transmission peak toward shorter wavelengths, while reducing the AOI red shifts the transmission peak toward longer wavelengths. In wavelength-dependent application spaces, such as fluorescence spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, a misaligned filter with too much red/blue shift would be severely detrimental to experimental results or device readings.

The larger the CHA of the incoming light, the greater the loss in peak transmission and the greater the peak broadening, which can allow unwanted wavelengths adjacent to the design wavelength to pass through the filter.

Certain design techniques can be implemented by system developers to decrease a filter’s sensitivity to the effects of AOI and CHA. This article discusses the importance of considering angular effects on filter performance in optical system design, as well as potential mitigation strategies.

Impact of angle of incidence

The AOI is defined as the angle between a collimated beam incident on the optic and the surface normal (perpendicular direction) of the filter’s first surface (Figure 1). Altering the AOI from a filter’s specified nominal value will shift the peak transmission toward shorter wavelengths when increasing AOI, and toward longer wavelengths when decreasing AOI. In a simple case with a 0° AOI, this occurs because the optical path difference between reflections off the first and second surfaces of a coating layer shortens, causing interference to favor shorter wavelengths (Figure 2a and 2b). This shift toward shorter wavelengths is known as a blue shift.

Along with the shift toward shorter wavelengths, increasing AOI typically reduces transmission efficiency, creating a noticeable reduction in overall light throughput. At extreme angles deviating from the specified AOI, the entire spectral shape deforms, and the filter’s ability to perform as specified becomes highly compromised (Figure 2, top). This negatively affects overall system throughput and performance. This deterioration can be mitigated by optimizing the optical coating design (Figure 2, bottom) to block and pass specific wavelengths.

As AOI strays more from its optimal angle, the filter’s spectral profile distorts further and creates sidebands or secondary peaks, which can produce inaccurate measurements. Unwanted wavelengths may be passed and desired ones blocked, which affects data collection and accuracy. Thus, considering the AOI when constructing a system is crucial. In some cases, a custom coating design can help to avoid spectral degradation and provide optimal performance where accuracy is paramount, as in the case of virus detection.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid tests were built using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). These tests detect viral RNA or proteins using spectral shifts, with a red shift (toward longer wavelengths) occurring when nanoparticles aggregate or when the local refractive index increases due to molecular binding. A blue shift (toward shorter wavelengths) can occur if nanoparticles disperse or if the surrounding medium becomes optically less dense.

A misaligned filter in the spectroscopy device reading the samples could lead to false positives or negatives and propagate public health scares. An understanding of AOI directly aided virus detection in the early stages of the pandemic, when fear and tensions were high.

Typical AOI specifications are 0°, with a ±5° tolerance, but designs can sometimes specify other AOIs. Difficulty arises with use cases requiring larger AOI ranges. Ranges exceeding ±10° require significantly more design effort and thicker coating stacks, and they also lead to increased costs. For example, as shown in Figure 2a, a 1064-nm light source (commonly used for research) at 16° AOI will no longer pass through the filter.

When a large AOI range cannot be avoided, absorptive filters, such as color glass, may be a suitable alternative to filters with optical coatings, as their spectral performance is insensitive to the AOI and CHA of the incoming light. Absorptive filters incorporate dyes to select desired wavelengths, rather than thin-film coatings. However, thin-film interference filters typically have better spectral performance, meaning they offer higher transmission and blocking, and often at more precise wavelengths. The spectral range can be (almost) freely designed for coated filters.

For color glass, the optical absorption properties of dyes or other chemical elements dictate the optical spectra, thus rendering custom options limited. If possible, thin-film interference is preferred for its higher performance and wavelength specificity. Building on the COVID example, a virus detector that needs highly specific blocking/passing regions should opt for thin-film interference. However, if the AOI must be compromised, absorptive filters offer helpful AOI flexibility, such as in common laser beamsplitting setups.

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Biophotonic probes for bio-detection and imaging

 The rapid development of biophotonics and biomedical sciences makes a high demand on photonic structures to be interfaced with biological systems that are capable of manipulating light at small scales for sensitive detection of biological signals and precise imaging of cellular structures. However, conventional photonic structures based on artificial materials (either inorganic or toxic organic) inevitably show incompatibility and invasiveness when interfacing with biological systems.

The design of biophotonic probes from the abundant natural materials, particularly biological entities such as virus, cells and tissues, with the capability of multifunctional light manipulation at target sites greatly increases the biocompatibility and minimizes the invasiveness to biological microenvironment. In this review, advances in biophotonic probes for bio-detection and imaging are reviewed. We emphatically and systematically describe biological entities-based photonic probes that offer appropriate optical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability with different optical functions from light generation, to light transportation and light modulation.

Three representative biophotonic probes, i.e., biological lasers, cell-based biophotonic waveguides and bio-microlenses, are reviewed with applications for bio-detection and imaging. Finally, perspectives on future opportunities and potential improvements of biophotonic probes are also provided.Sensitive detection of biological signals and precise observation of pathological changes are of great importance for the early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, and other health disorders. However, owing to the low quantity of biochemical signals and complex microenvironment in biological systems, the detection of the targets of interest is challenging. Fortunately, the prosperous development of optical and photonic technologies in recent years provides many choices for optical detection and imaging, holding great promises for real-time visualization of biological signals in complex biological structures and processes.

Optical detection exploits optical responses, such as light absorption, scattering, fluorescence, and reflectance, induced by biophysical/biochemical changes for bio-identification and disease diagnosis3. Due to the inherently label-free nature, optical detection is a powerful alternative to conventional detection techniques (e.g., mass or electrochemical)With optical detection techniques, real-time signals of a wide range of biological test samples (from molecular biomarkers to pathogens and cells, and even to tissues and organs) can be obtained in a non-invasive manner with high-sensitivity and high-resolution To date, optical detection and imaging have been demonstrated to be one of the most powerful technologies for detection of biological signals and for diagnosis .

For a precise and flexible optical detection in a biological microenvironment, photonic probes with micro/nanostructures are always desirable. For this purpose, the selection of appropriate optical materials is certainly crucial, since the probing performance largely depends on their chemical and mechanical properties, optical functionalities as well as biological performances.

To date, the most commonly used materials for the assembly of versatile photonic components and photonic probes are mainly based on inorganic materials such as silica glass, or organic polymers such as polymer nanowires. Because of their excellent optical properties, such as high transparency and suitable mechanical strength, these materials have been applied for nanophotonic integrated devices in diversified fields of application. For example, optical waveguides based on silica optical fibers have been widely studied and were even used for implantations in animal bodies, particularly fiber-optic implants in the brain for optogenetic studies.

 However, the main disadvantage of these photonic components based on traditional materials is low biocompatibility and biodegradability, which greatly limit their potential in biomedical applications. High biocompatibility of a material is a fundamental requirement for in vivo applications, which demands the absence of toxicity and low health threat to the living systems29. Moreover, high biocompatibility also refers to the biofunctionalities that the implants can perform their expected functions in vivo. Additionally, biodegradability is another essential requirement, since the materials can be degraded and metabolized by the body without the need for additional operations to remove the implants.

With abundant natural biomaterials and biological entities, Mother Nature always inspire us to design photonic structures and probes to manipulate light. Indeed, living cells and microscopic organisms as well as their derivates such as DNA, proteins, silk and cellulose et al., show different capabilities to interact with light, and can further serve as different photonics devices such as waveguides, microlenses, gratings, and even lasers. These natural biomaterials and biological entities hold huge promise for creation of new photonic probes for bio-detection, imaging, and therapeutic applications.

They inherently possess excellent biological performances, including noninvasiveness, high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and resorbability. Moreover, another interesting feature of biological entities such as virus, cells and tissues is their ability to serve simultaneously as optical devices and diagnostic specimen, which facilitate further real-time detection and imaging in biocompatible microenvironments.

Therefore, instead of bio-derived materials and biomolecules (such as proteins and nucleic acids), biophotonic probes introduced in this review are mainly focused on large biological entities, such as virus, bacteria, fungi, algae, mammalian cells and tissues. By translating biological principles into man-made designs, these biophotonic probes offer a seamless interface between optical and biological worlds.

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