# Efficient red-to-NIR photo-uncaging and applications in therapy

> **NIH NIH R15** · NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2024 · $406,832

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Many light-responsive systems have been produced via natural evolution, including opsins, and phytochromes,
while chemists have added to the list of light-responsive molecules for new tools. Scientists have embraced the
use of these light-responsive tools to construct new materials, and we’ve just scratched the surface of the
potential in this important field, particularly in the direction of making efficient red-to-near-infrared (red-to-NIR)
light-responsive groups. The promise of red-to-NIR light resides in deeper penetration depth, less scattering and
absorption by the sample, and less photodamage. Though approaches that use two-photon and lanthanide
nanoparticles exhibit promising progress in allowing red-to-NIR absorption, developing organic-based materials
that work under low power LED light is still challenging and such materials would expand the toolboxes and
facilitate addressing a number of urgent questions. The organic-based platforms will benefit the fundamental
understanding of chemical structure-to-property relationships, as well as impact many intriguing emerging
applications, such as precision drug delivery, neuron modulation, light-triggered reactions, and gene therapy
activation. Because of the much lower photon energy in the red-to-NIR region compared with UV and blue light,
efficient red-to-NIR responsive is still challenging. This proposal aims to develop novel boron-dipyrromethene
(BODIPY) based photo-uncaging groups that build upon weak covalent N-O bond. In particular, the weak
dissociation energy of N-O permits the cleavage after absorbing low energy red-to-NIR photon, which is ideal for
biological and biomedical applications. By varying and modifying the chemical structures, we intend to increase
photo-uncaging efficiency by rigidifying the structure and for the first time facilitate dual cargo release from
BODIPY. After conjugating with a cancer targeting unit, biomedical applications of these novel photo-uncaging
materials will be demonstrated in vitro and in vivo in light-triggered drug delivery. Overall, the capability of efficient
photo-uncaging in the red-to-NIR window will support more advanced experimental designs, and the
convergence of basic research with applications will contribute to expanding knowledge while benefiting
undergraduate researchers for broad impact.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10794730
- **Project number:** 1R15EB034477-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yuanwei Zhang
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $406,832
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-08 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10794730

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10794730, Efficient red-to-NIR photo-uncaging and applications in therapy (1R15EB034477-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10794730. Licensed CC0.

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