Current Methods and Approaches in Light-Based Therapies

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editor

Furkan Ayaz

Istinye University

Dr. Furkan Ayaz has double majors in the fields of Molecular and Cellular Biology as well as Chemistry from Boğaziçi University in Turkey. He completed his PhD in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Programme of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. During his PhD, he conducted research on autoimmune diseases, immunology, and T-cell acute leukemia. He has been collaborating with chemists and material and polymer scientists for drug development in versatile diseases, including cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory disorders. He has experience in animal models of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), EAE. His thesis studies focused on T helper cell polarization and macrophage function. He has an international patent as a drug candidate against MS. This is an exopolysaccharide isolated from Bacillus subtilis that prevented the development of EAE in mice.Currently, Dr. Ayaz is working as a Professor at Istinye University. His publications focus on drug candidate immunomodulatory activities and how they affect the immune system cells and function. So far, he has completed projects on photodynamic cancer therapy agents, novel transfection reagents, novel immunomodulatory agents, novel adjuvant candidates, and biomaterials for tissue repair. His current studies focus on designing nanoparticle-based adjuvant candidates for vaccines and biotechnological products in different medical fields.At Biruni University, he works in a cell culture laboratory, a molecular biology laboratory, and an animal laboratory to conduct experiments. The labs are equipped with flow cytometry, q-RT-PCR, ELISA and MTT plate readers, fluorescent microscope, and confocal microscope.

Collection Overview

Light-based therapies have rapidly emerged as transformative strategies across biomedical research and clinical practice, enabling precise, minimally invasive modulation of biological systems with exceptional spatial and temporal control. Spanning photodynamic and photothermal therapies, optogenetics, photoimmunotherapy, laser-based interventions, and light-activated drug delivery, these approaches are advancing applications in oncology, neurology, dermatology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, and regenerative medicine. Recent integration with nanotechnology, advanced biomaterials, imaging systems, wearable and implantable photonic devices, and artificial intelligence is further expanding the scope of light-based interventions across ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and X-ray–activated platforms.

Despite significant progress, key challenges remain, including limited tissue penetration, off-target effects, variability in therapeutic response, and the need for standardized treatment protocols. Barriers to clinical translation, such as safety, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, persist. Additionally, an incomplete understanding of photophysical and photochemical mechanisms, reactive oxygen species dynamics, and interactions within complex biological microenvironments continues to limit optimization and reproducibility.

This Collection aims to be a comprehensive platform that captures fundamental research, technological innovations, and translational advances in light-based therapies. It will feature original research, methodological developments, case reports, and reviews covering (but not limited to) novel photosensitizers, upconversion and hybrid nanoplatforms, light delivery systems, computational modeling, AI-guided optimization, combination therapies, and emerging modalities such as sonophotodynamic and radiophototherapy, alongside diverse preclinical and clinical applications.

By bridging interdisciplinary gaps and consolidating cutting-edge developments, this collection will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders, accelerating innovation, fostering collaboration, and supporting the development of safe, effective, and clinically translatable light-based therapeutic strategies.