Published in: Advanced NanoBioMed Research Authors: John A. Quinlan, Kaylin Baumiller, Anandita Gaur, Wen-An Chiou, Robert W. Robey, Michael M. Gottesman, Huang-Chiao Huang A nanosuspension of verteporfin, termed NanoVP, that requires no carriers is developed, permitting delivery of VP alone in an aqueous solution. NanoVP is produced by solvent–antisolvent precipitation, with dimethyl sulfoxide as the preferable solvent. The paper describes the characterization of NanoVP, including bioavailability and anticancer capacity in glioblastoma with ML6600 laser irradiation, as well as potontial of NanoVP for light-independent therapy.   Read Continue reading →

Published in: Cancer Drug Resistance Authors: Shruti Vig1, Payal Srivastava1,#, Idrisa Rahman1,2,#, Renee Jaranson1, Anika Dasgupta1, Robert Perttilä3, Petteri Uusimaa3, Huang-Chiao Huang1 University of Maryland and Modulight have published together a new research study about the mechanisms of cancer drug resistance. Drug resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure and often has dramatic consequences for survival of cancer patients. Cancer cells have developed various ways to protect themselves from drugs. When several clinically used photoactive drugs were studied, it was shown that some of them were being actively pumped out by cancer cells, thus likely limiting the full therapeutic potential of these Continue reading →

Published in: Nature Reviews Bioengineering Authors: Girgis Obaid, University of Texas at Dallas Jonathan P. Celli, University of Massachusetts Boston Mans Broekgaarden, Grenoble Alpes University Anne-Laure Bulin, Grenoble Alpes University Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corporation Brian Pogue, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine Tayyaba Hasan, Harvard Medical School Huang-Chiao Huang, University of Maryland   The review article explores the advanced applications of PDT, a photochemistry-based treatment approach that utilizes light-activated photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species for localized cellular cytotoxicity. The paper discusses the underlying mechanisms Continue reading →

Published in: Frontiers in Oncology Authors: Sadna Budhu, Kwanghee Kim, Wesley Yip, Stephen La Rosa, Sylvia Jebiwott, Liqun Cai, Aliya Holland, Jasmine Thomas, Dina Preise, Alex Somma, Benjamin Gordon, Avigdor Scherz, Jedd D. Wolchok, Joseph Erinjeri, Taha Merghoub, Jonathan A. Coleman Three forms of localized tumor destruction (radiation therapy, vascular targeted PDT and cryoablation) were compared for their efficacy in evoking local and systemic immune responses. This has potential to improve effectiveness of immunotherapy in non-responding patients (cold tumors) by attracting T cells to the Continue reading →

Published in: Inorganic Chemistry Authors: Houston D. Cole, Abbas Vali, John A. Roque III, Ge Shi, Alisher Talgatov, Gurleen Kaur, Antonio Francés-Monerris, Marta E. Alberto, Colin G. Cameron, Sherri A. McFarland A series of Ru(II) complexes were characterized and assessed for phototherapy effects toward cancer cells. Also activity in hypoxia was evaluated, with some of the compounds retaining partial activity in hypoxia. ML8500 was used for dosimetry studies, assessing impact of irradiance on the phototoxicity of Ru-4T with several different wavelengths. LEDs were used for Continue reading →

Published in: Cancer Science Authors: Fuyuki F. Inagaki, Makoto Kano, Aki Furusawa, Takuya Kato, Ryuhei Okada, Hiroshi Fukushima, Seiichiro Takao, Shuhei Okuyama, Peter L. Choyke, Hisataka Kobayashi In this study, the efficacy of PD-L1-targeted NIR-PIT (photoimmunotherapy) with ML7710 was assessed in immune-competent tumor mouse models. PIT showed a significant therapeutic effect on the tumor models with high PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, it induced an abscopal effect on distant tumors and long-term immunological memory. Combination with interferon-gamma improved the treatment efficacy by increasing PD-L1 expression leading to more Continue reading →

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a disease causing choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and consequent irreversible damage in the macula. AMD is classified into dry (atrophic) and wet (exudative) forms, with the latter causing faster vision loss and being the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. Introduction to AMD Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes for  visual impairment. AMD is charactirized by development of Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and consequent irreversible damage in the macula. CNV means abnormal Continue reading →

Next generation flow cytometry Lasers have been historically the key light sources utilized in flow cytometry due to their ability to deliver the precise amount of energy needed to trigger the Stokes shift, which is the key phenomena underlying flow cytometry operation. For the same reason lasers and optical system in general are referred to as the “heart of flow cytometer”, since they are the integral component initiating the instrument operation. To ensure smooth and repeatable flow cytometer performance laser source needs to exhibit excellent Continue reading →

Customer case University of Toyama is a Japanese national university located in Toyama City and Takaoka City and established in 1949. It is comprised of 3 former national universities Toyama University, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, and Takaoka National College. Naoya Ishibashi Daisuke Uta Modulight products: ML6600 Laser use: Studying pain treatment with photobiomodulation. Links to articles:     Background Photobiomodulation with low-level laser or light therapy is an effective treatment for pain. It has various effects, such as analgesic (pain-relieving) effects, anti-inflammatory effects, tissue regeneration Continue reading →

Customer case Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology Group at University of Helsinki is specialized in top-level pharmaceutical research. Led by Professor Timo Laaksonen, the group focuses on controlled drug release and delivery using modern methods and materials. Particular interest lies in using light to both monitor nanomaterial behavior and to trigger e.g. drug release processes. Modulight products: ML8500, ML6600, MLAKIT   Prof. Timo Laaksonen Dr. Tatu Lajunen Laser use: Light-triggered drug release studies from light-activated liposomes. ML8500 with 808 nm wavelength was used to induce the release of calcein from liposomes under Continue reading →

Deadliest cancer Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with more than 2.2 million cases and 1.8 million deaths each year [1]. Lung cancer can be divided into two types, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with the latter accounting for about 85% of all lung cancer cases. NSCL is usually less sensitive to chemo- and radiotherapy and in many cases tumor cannot be removed surgically or has spread from lungs to distant sites at the time Continue reading →

Introduction to DRB lasers Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) laser diodes are a class of single-frequency monolithic semiconductor lasers. Monolithic semiconductor lasers in general are small in size, mechanically robust, and have good power conversion efficiency. They also provide opportunities for hybrid integration with photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This application note provides an overview of DBR lasers, their principles of operation, their modal behavior, and their diverse applications. Principles of DBR Laser Operation A DBR laser is a semiconductor laser with one or several quantum wells Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – March 2025 Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men, and despite good prognosis, recurrences are very common with standard therapies. In a new publication by Jonathan Coleman and the group at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, vascular-targeted therapy was studied for bladder cancer as a minimally invasive treatment option. The therapy involves a photosensitive drug, padeliporfin, which binds to blood albumin and accumulates to tumor vasculature. When the bladder was illuminated with the Modulight’s ML7710 laser, Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – February 2025 This month’s spotlight goes to A. Lepland and the teams at University of Tartu, Estonia and Veneto Institute of Oncology, Italy, who developed a new immunotherapy for triple negative breast cancer. This subtype of breast cancer is often very aggressive and notoriously difficult to treat as it lacks hormone receptors. In the new publication in Advanced Science, researchers developed a peptide-drug conjugate against tumor-promoting immune cells that suppress the immune response against tumor. The developed drug consists of Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – January 2025 We are pleased to highlight this month a new study published in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy by Hisataka Kobayashi’s team at National Cancer Institute, NIH. They developed light-activated immunotherapy targeting a specific protein found on the surface of many cancer cells, called tissue factor. This therapy consists of antibody-photoabsorber conjugate that binds to cancer cell surface, and in response to near-infrared light, induces photochemical reaction that results in membrane destruction and immunogenic cell death. When this novel agent was Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – December 2024 This month we are highlighting work by Timothy C. Zhu and the team at University of Pennsylvania, USA. They have investigated the use of photodynamic therapy for mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that usually occurs in the thin layer of tissue that lines the lungs and is typically caused by asbestos exposure. 24 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients were treated with photodynamic therapy using Photofrin and the ML7710 laser following surgical tumor debulking. The researchers derived oxygenation information inside the Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – November 2024 The lungs are common site of cancer metastasis, with isolated pulmonary metastases most often affecting patients with colorectal cancer and sarcomas. Surgical metastasectomy is the standard treatment, however, only 1 in 10 patients qualify for surgical resection thus the management remains a significant clinical challenge. To tackle this challenge, K. Ramadan et al. studied photodynamic therapy in an isolated lung perfusion model where the blood is replaced with acellular perfusate, allowing greater light penetration. The feasibility and safety Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – October 2024 This month, we are highlighting new findings published in RSC Materials Advances by Olga Lem, Roosa Kekki and researchers at Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology research group and Tampere University. The study provides key insights into the role of lipid oxidation in cargo release from light-activated liposomes. These spherical lipid vesicles can be controlled by light to provide time- and site-specific drug delivery, for example for cancer treatment. Red light provides a non-invasive, selective, and safe trigger for releasing liposomal cargo. Modulight’s Continue reading →

Modulight announces the launch of its latest Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) lasers, offering a configurable wavelength range from 630 nm to 1100 nm. These advanced lasers are designed to meet the high demands in quantum systems, quantum sensing, Raman spectroscopy, and metrology.  Key wavelengths of Modulight DBR laser platform include 633 nm, which is optimized for interferometry and Raman spectroscopy. Wavelengths such as 650 nm, 760 nm, and 935 nm are ideal for Ytterbium/Barium repumping transitions in quantum systems. The 785 nm wavelength is a Continue reading →

Advancing Flow Cytometry Precision with VECSEL Laser Cores  Modulight expands its ML6600 product family with new variants designed to meet the rigorous demands of flow cytometry applications. Featuring Modulight’s OP-VECSEL (Optically-Pumped Vertical-External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser)  core technology, these latest ML6600 variants offer unprecedented performance and reliability for biomedical research and diagnostics.  Building on the success of the ML6600 platform, the new variants provide ultra-low-noise continuous-wave (CW) emission with diffraction-limited beam quality and efficient harmonic generation for optical power scaling up to one Watt level. The platform Continue reading →

Modulight is broadening its advanced laser solutions portfolio with a range of tapered amplifier products and monolithic DBR MOPA devices, delivering high output power with excellent beam quality.  Designed for Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) configurations, Modulight’s tapered amplifiers ensure efficient amplification while preserving the seed laser’s spectral performance. Spanning a broad wavelength range from 630 nm to ~1700 nm, these amplifiers cater to a wide array of applications, including quantum technologies, sensing, metrology, and more.  To address diverse integration requirements, Modulight offers tapered amplifiers Continue reading →

Modulight Introduces ML6640: Redefining Flow Cytometry Performance Modulight is proud to announce the ML6640, the latest addition to its ML6600 product family, designed for flow cytometry and cell sorting applications. This advanced laser engine incorporates four precisely selected wavelengths—405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, and 638 nm (for other wavelengths contact factory)—optimized for fluorochrome excitation, including PE (Phycoerythrin)-based dyes critical for multi-parameter analysis. The ML6640 introduces an innovative active beam alignment system powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This cutting-edge technology dynamically monitors and adjusts laser Continue reading →

Modulight ML6600 Expands to Meet Quantum Application Needs Modulight is proud to announce new additions to its ML6600 product platform, tailored specifically for quantum applications. Building on the proven ML6600 platform, these latest variants integrate Modulight’s innovative VECSEL (Vertical-External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) core technology, redefining precision and flexibility for quantum computing and sensing. Designed to address the stringent requirements of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics, the ML6600 platform for quantum applications features ultra-low-noise continuous-wave (CW) single-frequency emission with sub-100 kHz free-running linewidth and efficient intracavity Continue reading →

Modulight Introduces Laser Engines for Microscopy Modulight proudly announces new variants of its ML6600 platform, designed specifically for the demanding requirements of microscopy illumination, such as super-resolution microscopy. These advanced solutions support both single-wavelength and multi-wavelength configurations, tailored to meet diverse customer needs in imaging applications. ML6600 platform provides all key wavelengths for microscopy—for example 355nm, 405 nm, 488 nm, 532nm, 561 nm, and 638 nm (other wavelengths available upon request)—delivered via fiber-coupled or free-space beam options. Light is delivered through extremely small single fiber Continue reading →