Liposomal nanotechnology enhances precision and efficacy in photodynamic cancer therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses light to activate special drugs called photosensitizers to destroy cancer cells with high precision. The basic principle behind PDT is the interaction between light, a photosensitive molecule, and oxygen inside the tumor. When light shines on the photosensitizer, it becomes excited and transfers energy to surrounding oxygen, producing highly reactive species that damage and kill cancer cells. Much like a guided missile that only explodes at its target, PDT works only where both the drug and light meet.

Liposomal nanotechnology enhances this process by packaging the photosensitizer inside tiny fat-based carriers that protect the drug in the bloodstream and deliver it directly to tumors. These liposomes improve stability, targeting, and drug concentration at the disease site. In fact, liposome-assisted PDT has become one of the most promising strategies in modern cancer nanomedicine, offering improved selectivity, reduced side effects, and better therapeutic outcomes.

This work demonstrates how modern nanotechnology can significantly enhance photodynamic therapy by using liposomes to protect drugs in the bloodstream, deliver them precisely to tumors, and release them exactly where light is applied, increasing treatment effectiveness while reducing side effects— a major step toward more personalized and targeted cancer care. This advancement matters to the public because cancer affects millions worldwide, and safer, more precise treatments offer fewer side effects, improved quality of life, and greater hope for patients.

Led by Prof. Heidi Abrahamse at the Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, our multidisciplinary team, with expertise in nanotechnology, photomedicine, and cancer biology, has developed a platform that integrates physics, chemistry, and medicine to revolutionize the delivery of light-based cancer therapies.