photodynamic therapy (PDT)

In our research we use Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) to improve the Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a treatment of various diseases and especially cancer. SHG is a nonlinear optical process, in which two photons with the same frequency interact with a nonlinear material to generate a new photon with twice the energy.

 The proposed SH-PDT treatment is an innovative technique based on a conjugate of Harmonic Nanoparticle (HNP) and Photosensitizers (PS). After accumulation of the conjugate in the tumor, it will be excited with near infrared (NIR) light that penetrate deeper into the tissue. The HNP will multiply the frequency of the light and the multiplied photon will excite the PS. The PS will transfer the energy to oxygen to produce singlet oxygen that will destroy the tumor.