Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a polymer that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared (NRI) irradiation. That capability allows it to disassemble in a controlled fashion.
 
According to the researchers, the development is a breakthrough in the development for noninvasive medical and biological applications. The research, which is described in a the journal Macromolecules, is thought to be “the the only polymeric material specifically designed to break down in to small fragments in response to very low levels of NIR irradiation,” according to Adah Almutairi, PhD, assistant professor at the UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and director of the Laboratory of Bioresponsive Materials at the university. “The material was also shown to be well-tolerated in cells before and after irradiation. We think there is great potential for use in human patients, allowing previously inaccessible targets sites to be reached for both treatment and diagnosis.” 
 
The materials could potentially be used for a variety of medical applications including tissue engineering, implants, wound-healing, drug delivery, and biosensors.
 
—Brian Buntz